A man in his 20s arrested on suspicion of killing his mother-in-law and abducting his wife while the couple was in a marriage annulment suit has largely admitted to the crime in police questioning, investigators said. Police plan to seek an arrest warrant for the suspect later in the day.
Seoul's Songpa Police Station said on the 12th that it was questioning the man, identified only as A and in his mid-20s, who was taken into emergency custody on suspicion of murdering a spouse's lineal ascendant and abduction. A largely admitted to the allegations during questioning but gave vague accounts of the circumstances of the attack, according to police. After further questioning, police plan to ask the prosecution service later in the day for an arrest warrant on charges including murder of a spouse's lineal ascendant and aggravated unlawful confinement.
A is accused of going to his in-laws' home in Munjeong-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, at about 5:38 a.m. on the 11th, stabbing his mother-in-law, a woman in her 50s, with a knife, then forcing his wife, identified as B and in her 20s, into a car and fleeing toward Gangwon State. Police were dispatched to the scene after receiving emergency calls reporting that a man was trying to drag a woman away and that a woman was lying on the ground. The mother-in-law was taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest and later died.
A was caught about seven hours after fleeing. Songpa Police Station worked with the Gangwon State Police Agency to trace his escape route and took him into emergency custody at about 12:35 p.m. the same day on a wooded hill in Yangyang County, Gangwon State. B was rescued with minor abrasions and was not in life-threatening condition. A paring knife believed to have been used in the attack was found at the scene.
A was transferred to Songpa Police Station at about 6:30 p.m. the same day. Appearing with a hat and mask covering his face, he gave a brief answer to reporters who asked why he had killed his mother-in-law and whether the attack had been planned: "I will explain everything during questioning."
The investigation found that A committed the crime while living apart from B during their marriage annulment proceedings. Police had been investigating A since August on suspicion of repeatedly assaulting his wife.
The case began when A filed a missing person report asking police to find his wife. Seoul's Yongsan Police Station learned of the domestic violence on Aug. 22 while confirming B's whereabouts, along with her request that her husband not be told where she was staying. After questioning the victim, police on Aug. 27 transferred the case to Suwon Gwonseon Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, which covers the couple's registered residence.
Suwon Gwonseon Police Station obtained statements from B, including that her husband had punched her in the head several times, and concluded there were signs of habitual domestic violence. On Sept. 2, police gave B a smartwatch for personal protection and investigated whether there had been additional harm. In the process, they obtained statements about other offenses and pursued compulsory measures against A, including a search and seizure.
Police, however, were unable to take A into custody or question him. A, who was serving as a social service worker, failed to report to his workplace, thwarting the attempted search and seizure, and he did not comply with a summons set for the 10th of this month. Police pushed the questioning back to the 13th, but A carried out the attack before that scheduled session.
There were also gaps in protective measures for the victim. Police had earlier imposed temporary measures on A, ordering him to leave the victim's residence and barring him from coming within 100 meters of her or contacting her by telecommunications. Those measures expired on Sept. 30. Suwon Gwonseon Police Station, concerned about further harm, filed a new request for a restraining order on the 6th of this month, but the attack occurred before the court ruled on it.
Based on A's statements and evidence collected at the scene, police are focusing on determining the exact motive and whether the attack was planned in advance. Songpa Police Station said it would seek an arrest warrant for A later in the day on charges including murder of a spouse's lineal ascendant and aggravated unlawful confinement after further questioning.
