SOUTH KOREA – FEBRUARY 23, 2007 37-year-old woman who lived alone after her divorce was found dead. Her body was discovered in the garden of an apartment building, and signs of violence were visible at the scene. Police also collected biological evidence that later helped them track down the perpetrator.
The woman worked as a kindergarten teacher and also worked at a karaoke bar and restaurant. On the day of her death, she was drinking with the owner of the bar and was last seen around 3:20 a.m. getting into a taxi.
Based on the biological evidence, investigators identified a 26-year-old man who had no previous criminal record. However, he had been unemployed since completing his mandatory military service in 2003 and, according to police, had experienced long-term financial problems.
The man noticed the woman after she got out of the taxi in an alley. He initially intended to rob her. He attacked and beat her before dragging her into the garden. When the woman later regained consciousness and tried to call for help, he attacked her again, inflicting fatal injuries. He raped her after her death and desecrated her vagina by thrusting a tree branch into it.
The perpetrator also attempted to remove some of the biological evidence he had left behind. Those traces ultimately helped police identify him. In court, the man was found guilty of robbery and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
