[Edaily Reporter Jung Yu-jin ] A man in his 50s who murdered a teenage girl in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, has been taken into emergency custody. It has been determined that, even though more than a day has passed since his arrest, a proper investigation has not been conducted because the suspect is heavily intoxicated. A suicide note from the suspect was also found at the crime scene.

The Seongbuk Police Station in Seoul announced that around 1:40 a.m. on the 11th, they had made an emergency arrest of a man in his 50s, identified as Mr. A, on suspicion of murdering a teenage girl, Ms. B, at a shared lodging facility in Jeongneung-dong, Seongbuk-gu. At the time of his arrest, Mr. A was heavily intoxicated, and Ms. B was already deceased.

It was confirmed that a suicide note from A was found inside the room, along with evidence suggesting he had intended to take his own life. Police attempted to conduct an initial interrogation of A that afternoon but were unable to proceed due to his condition. Police plan to question him again later today if his condition improves.

The police plan to apply for an arrest warrant as soon as the investigation is complete. A police official stated, “A document believed to be Mr. A’s suicide note was found at the scene, but it is difficult to confirm its contents at this time.”

The incident is believed to stem from a sexual offense committed by Mr. A’s son against Mr. B. The parents of the deceased Mr. B filed a criminal complaint in January against Mr. A’s son, who is in his 20s, on charges of sexual assault. The Nowon Police Station in Seoul referred Mr. A’s son to prosecutors without detention last March, and the case was transferred from the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office on April 22, where it is currently under investigation. Mr. A’s son is currently detained at the Seoul Southern Detention Center on charges unrelated to the sexual offense.

Additionally, while Ms. B was initially staying at a victim protection facility (shelter), it has been reported that her whereabouts were exposed through acquaintances while she was in the process of moving to another shelter.

The police plan to question Mr. A regarding his relationship with the victim, as well as the specific motive and circumstances of the crime. The police also plan to request an autopsy of the victim’s body from the National Forensic Service to determine the exact cause of death.

If it is determined that the woman was killed because she filed a sexual assault complaint against her son, charges of retaliatory murder could be brought. Under the Special Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Certain Crimes, the statutory penalties for retaliatory murder—the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for 10 years or more—are generally harsher than those for ordinary murder.