Killing Younger Sibling... Detective Says "Thank You" - Bizarre Incident Involving a Man in His 60s

Flawed Investigation Ending as 'Simple Suicide'
Witness Found After Reinvestigation, Trial Held After 2 Years

A bizarre incident occurred in which a man in his 60s accused of killing his younger brother suddenly expressed gratitude to the detective who initially handled the case but closed it as a simple suicide without proper investigation during the trial.

On the 14th, the Criminal Division 22 of Cheongju District Court (Presiding Judge Oh Sang-yong) held a sentencing hearing for Mr. A (63), who was detained and indicted on charges of injury resulting in death. Detective B, who was in charge of the initial investigation and concluded 'no charges,' appeared as a witness.

Mr. A is accused of assaulting his younger brother in his late 50s, with whom he lived, at their home (a first-floor villa) in Sajik-dong, Cheongju, on June 3, 2022, after returning home drunk, causing his death. At that time, the police decided not to prosecute due to insufficient evidence. Following a request for reinvestigation by the prosecution, a new team reopened the case last May, and by locating witness Mr. C, who lived next door, Mr. A was brought to trial more than two years after the incident.

Detective B, who was suspected of a negligent initial investigation for neglecting resident inquiries and CCTV collection, testified in court, expressing regret by saying, "I regret not having examined the case thoroughly at the time." Detective B received a three-month salary reduction as a disciplinary measure for the poor investigation.

After the detective finished his testimony and stood up from the witness stand, Mr. A suddenly bowed his head and said, "Thank you, detective." This occurred after the witness examination revealed clear evidence of the initial police's negligent investigation rather than any clues proving Mr. A's innocence.

At the sentencing hearing, the prosecution requested a 15-year prison sentence. Through his lawyer, Mr. A denied the charges, stating, "I only found my deceased brother on the day of the incident and reported it to 112," and added, "Witness testimonies conflict, and there is also an autopsy result suggesting the brother may have died by self-harm."