The Death of an Elderly Man Initially Believed to Be Suicide... Revealed as Murder by His Wife

Confessed to Strangling Husband to Death at Home After Argument
Supplementary Investigation by Police and Prosecution Reveals Suicide Was Actually Homicide

A death that was initially thought to be a suicide by an elderly person in their 80s was ultimately revealed to be a case of spousal homicide, following supplementary investigations by the prosecution and police.

On January 9, the Gangneung Branch of the Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office announced that it had indicted an individual in their 80s, identified as A, without detention on charges of murder. A is accused of strangling and killing their spouse, B (aged 81), during an argument at their residence in the Yeongdong region of Gangwon Province in May 2024.

Initially, the case appeared to be closing as a suicide. The police concluded that B had died by self-strangulation and recommended closing the case before formal charges were filed.

However, the prosecution determined that further investigation was necessary, citing the absence of any suicide tools at the scene and a lack of evidence typically associated with suicide. They recommended that the police conduct supplementary investigations.

During the supplementary investigation, the police obtained a confession to murder from A, who had been with B on the day of the incident. Throughout the process, A generally admitted to the crime, and as a result, the police referred A to the prosecution without detention on murder charges in January of last year.

The prosecution, upon reassuming the case, used forensic investigation techniques to verify the credibility of the statements and to establish the motive for the crime. In proving the charges, the prosecution considered several factors: A is an elderly person in their 80s with memory impairment; A at times denied the charges; and it was essential to prevent any wrongful accusation or victimization. Therefore, the prosecution conducted its own supplementary investigation in parallel.

Nevertheless, the prosecution decided to indict A without detention, taking into account the seriousness of the crime but also considering that the defendant is in their 80s and currently receiving hospital treatment, has confessed to the crime, has cooperated fully with investigative summons, and the overall circumstances of the incident.

A prosecution official stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure that death cases and similar incidents are subject to proper judicial oversight as stipulated by the Criminal Procedure Act and investigative guidelines, so that cases are not concealed. We will actively utilize supplementary investigation requests, direct supplementary investigations, and forensic science to uncover the substantive truth."