Man in his 50s arrested for murdering acquaintance couple after scouting crime scene

A man in his 50s, who went so far as to scout the crime scene in advance, has been arrested on charges of murdering an acquaintance couple. The Naju Police Station announced on the 9th that it had arrested Mr. A, 52, on charges of robbery-murder. The Gwangju District Court issued the arrest warrant that day, citing concerns about flight risk.

Mr. A is accused of stabbing the couple in their 60s with a weapon and strangling them to death at a house in Naju between 9:28 p.m. and 11:57 p.m. on the 5th. The couple were found the following afternoon in the living room and master bedroom, respectively, with their hands and feet bound with packing tape, clothing, and other items.

Investigators found that Mr. A withdrew 6 million won from the victims' cards immediately after the crime. Police obtained closed-circuit television footage showing Mr. A visiting the vicinity of the couple's home multiple times before the crime, and used this as key evidence that it was a premeditated act to upgrade the initial murder charge to robbery-murder.

Mr. A, who knew the husband through an arcade, fled after the crime by alternating between a bicycle, the couple's cargo truck, and his own car. However, he was apprehended by police on the 7th at an apartment in Muan County, where he resided.

Based on Mr. A's statements, police are searching the Yeongsan River area near Naju Bridge for what is believed to be the murder weapon. They are also verifying Mr. A's claim that he had lent money to the couple. In addition, considering the brutality of the crime, police plan to review convening the Personal Information Disclosure Review Committee.