The cold case has remained the highest-profile mystery criminal case in South Korea for more than three decades. [33] Lee was arrested a few days later, on January 18,[36] after repeated questioning where he later asked, "How many years do you serve in prison for rape and murder? [6] Her body was found on October 23, 1986, at 14:50 in a canal. At some point, Lee decided to start murdering women and girls. Lee was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 20 years in the killing of his sister-in-law, but despite DNA evidence and his confession in 2019, he could not be prosecuted for the other murders because the statute of limitations had expired. Housewife murdered after getting off the bus while returning home. Lee Chun-jae confessed to the nine rape-murders that … After decades of unsuccessful searching, police believe they have finally made a breakthrough in the infamous “Hwaseong murders” case, announcing that the prime suspect is a man in his 50s who is currently serving a prison sentence for another rape and murder, the Yonhap news agency reports.. However, when a female college student was murdered in 2004, they wondered if it was linked to the Hwaseong serial murders, though the case also remains unsolved. Police will now work to verify whether the confession is true, and cross-reference it against their original investigation records. They are often compared to those committed by the Zodiac Killer in the United States,[5] and served as the inspiration for the 2003 film Memories of Murder.[5]. The crimes, targeting women aged 13 to 71, became notorious for their brutality. [6] Seven more murders followed over the next years. The serial murders are considered to be the most infamous in South Korea's modern history. [35] According to the detective who investigated him, Lee went to his father-in-law offering help in the search for his missing sister-in-law, and both reported that she might have been abducted. He also confessed to an additional five murders and about 30 sexual assaults. [9] In addition, 40,116 individuals had their fingerprints taken, and 570 DNA samples and 180 hair samples were analyzed. Housewife murdered in front of her house. Anchor: A man in his 50s has been identified as a prime suspect in the infamous Hwaseong serial murders that have remained unsolved for some three decades. Seoul-based criminal attorney Kim Gwang-sam told CNN that it would not be possible for the families of victims to take a civil suit either. [6] Two months later on December 12, 1986, Kwon Jung-bon (25) disappeared in front of her house. Police said Lee's confession in the eighth murder 'elaborately and coherently' described both the scene and the victim. The killings are infamous in South Korea, and were even the subject of a 2003 true crime film “Memories of Murder” by top South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, who became the first Korean to win the prestigious Palme d’Or this year for his movie “Parasite.”. All of the nine victims were sexually assaulted and murdered, and most were strangled to death, an official from Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency told CNN. In many of the cases, a piece of their clothing such as stockings or a blouse was used in the killing. In South Korea, civil cases must be taken within 10 years from the time of the crime, he said. Out of his eleven confirmed killings, the most infamous ones were the Hwaseong serial murders, in which ten females (ages fourteen to 71) were gagged, raped, and then strangled with their own clothes. Yoon had been convicted of raping and killing a 13-year-old girl in Hwaseong in September of 1988. BEFORE FAME [20] Two days later, police announced that they had reached a provisional conclusion that Lee was responsible for the murder for which Yoon was convicted. Middle school girl murdered while returning home. Between 1986 and 1991 a record number of police officers were mobilised to try to find the person who raped and murdered women in rural parts of Hwaseong, south of the capital, Seoul. [10] During the investigation, rumors that the killer targeted women wearing red clothes on rainy days spread,[11] leading some female police officers to wear red clothes in an attempt to lure the killer into a trap. Whoever he was, he was still a mystery. One of the 10 Hwaseong deaths is now believed to be a copycat murder, the official said. Hwaseong serial murders The Hwaseong serial murders ( Korean : 화성 연쇄 살인 사건 ; Hanja : 華城連鎖殺人事件 ; RR : hwaseong yeonswae sarin sageon ) were a series of rapes and murders that occurred in the rural city of Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province between September 15, 1986, and April 3, 1991, a period of four years and seven months. [39][40][30] He was identified after DNA from the underwear of one of the victims was matched with his, and subsequent DNA testing linked him to four of the other unsolved serial murders. November 1, 2019. The first 10 murders were part of the Hwaseong serial murders. [33] After the first trial, Lee filed an appeal, claiming that he was beaten by an unknown young man and entered the victim's house while being chased. The murders are considered to be the most infamous in the modern history of South Korea and have been compared to those of the Zodiac Killer. No matter how much time has passed, uncovering what really happened is the reason police exist.”. Bokdae-dong, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. Three of those other murders happened in Hwaseong but had not previously been attributed to the serial killer, and the other two happened in Cheongju. A police breakthrough only exposed more injustices", "Suspect identified in South Korea's infamous cold case 'Hwaseong murders, "South Korea police apologize over botched serial killer case", "[리부트] 화성연쇄살인사건 용의자 이춘재, '모방범죄' 8차 사건도 본인 소행 주장…수사 혼선 목적? © 2020 Cable News Network. Although the killings remained unsolved, there was evidence that they could be linked. There were 10 murders, but the eighth one was later found to be a copycat crime. The Supreme Court of South Korea reviewed the case in 1995 and Lee's death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment,[37] with the possibility of parole after 20 years. [ 18 ] his appeal was denied and he served 19.5 years in jail before being on... 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