Two suspects in the body-in-a-barrel murder caught. One still at large in Burma. Bangkok police confirm arrests of two suspects in the murder of South Korean tourist Roh Eui Jon. One suspect remains at large, believed to have fled to war-torn Burma. The body was found in a concrete-filled barrel near Pattaya on Saturday.
On Tuesday night, the Metropolitan Police Bureau in Bangkok confirmed that two of the three suspects in the murder of South Korean tourist Roh Eui Jon were in custody. It came after Cambodian police on Monday night took in Mr Lee Yong Jin. It followed the arrest by South Korean police on Sunday of Mr Lee Roun. In short, it leaves only one of the killers still at large. He is Mr Kim Hyeonng Won, who is believed to have crossed over illegally into war-torn Burma on or around May 4th.
Police in Bangkok on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of a second suspect in the murder of South Korean Roh Eui Jon.
The decomposing body of the 34-year-old tourist was found by police divers on Saturday after a search of the Map Prachan reservoir near Pattaya. The body was packed into a large plastic barrel with concrete.
A task force led by the Metropolitan Police Bureau was quickly able to crack the case. The accused was taken from the Royal City Avenue (RCA) nightlife complex in central Bangkok in the early hours of Friday, May 3rd.
Task force led by Metropolitan Police Bureau quickly cracked the case and identified the three suspects responsible for the heinous murder of a tourist
Subsequently, three suspects were identified. In addition, police obtained CCTV images of cars and vehicles used in connection with the abduction and murder. They were all South Korean. Police identified them as Mr Lee Roun, Mr Lee Yong Jin, and Mr Kim Hyeonng Won.
South Korean tourist taken from Bangkok nightlife centre, tortured, murdered and buried in a bin
All had fled Thailand sometime after May 4th. It was three days later on Tuesday, May 7th when the alarm was raised.
In brief, it came as the kidnappers or associates attempted to extort ฿3 million for the release of the victim. Mr Roh Eui Jon’s mother in South Korea received a message on LINE and phone calls.
Body was badly decomposed. Identification involved DNA samples given to the Institute of Forensics in Bangkok and cooperation from the victim’s older sister
Afterwards, she contacted the South Korean Foreign Ministry, and the Metropolitan Police Bureau in Bangkok was called in. The South Korean Embassy in Bangkok played an active role in the matter.
On Tuesday, the Institute of Forensics in Bangkok positively identified the badly deteriorated remains in the barrel as those of Mr Roh Eui Jon.
It came from DNA samples provided by his older sister Ms Noh Shinhye and the victim’s father.
In addition, the victim’s sister was also able to identify the body from an old wound mark she was familiar with.
42-year-old Ms Noh Shinhye had previously attended a police summit at Makkasan Police Station in Chonburi.
The briefing was chaired by Police Major General Noppasin Poolsawat of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. She was joined by the victim’s 30-year-old cousin Mr Jung Junyung.
Arrests on Sunday in South Korea and Monday night in Cambodia leave only one killer at large in war-torn Myanmar which he entered illegally 10 days ago
Meanwhile, police confirmed that the three-member gang responsible for the murder had fled Thailand.
Mr Lee Roun had flown back to South Korea. Mr Lee Yong Jin had taken a flight to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. In the meantime, the third accused Mr Kim Hyeonng Won crossed illegally into Myanmar.
On Sunday, police in South Korea later arrested Lee Roun. He was detained in the small city of Jeongeup in North Jeolla province, in southwestern South Korea.
At length, the twenty-something suspect is being charged by South Korean police with being an accessory to the murder. Certainly, he insists he played no part in the killing of Mr Roh Eui Jon.
Thai police still seek arrest warrants for murder
On Tuesday, Police Major General Noppasin reported the arrest of 27-year-old Lee Yong Jin.
In short, he was taken into custody by Cambodian police at a lodging house in the Cambodian capital on Monday night. Later, a photograph of the midnight arrest was sent to Thai and South Korean police.
In the meantime, Thai authorities are seeking warrants for the three accused based on charges of premeditated murder, abduction, and concealment of a corpse.
However, the suspect arrested in Cambodia will be handed over to South Korean police, particularly officers with the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency in the South.
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Further reading:
South Korean tourist taken from Bangkok nightlife centre, tortured, murdered and buried in a bin
Fear-mongering, fake news and disinformation being stoked in China against visiting Thailand
Chinese tourists arrested on kidnapping and extortion charges insist they are innocent
