Latest news with #ChaCheol-nam
Korea Herald
27-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Police to transfer suspect in killing of 2 brothers to prosecution
Police said Tuesday they plan to transfer the suspect in the killing of two brothers and stabbing of two other people to the prosecution on charges of murder and attempted murder. Cha Cheol-nam, a 56-year-old Chinese national of Korean ethnicity, was apprehended on Monday last week, two days after he allegedly killed the brothers of the same Chinese-Korean background in Siheung, just southwest of Seoul. Hours before his detention, he also stabbed a convenience store owner and his landlord in separate incidents, causing them serious injuries. A Siheung police official told reporters Tuesday that Cha was found to have planned the murders starting early this month by purchasing weapons. A police investigation also found that Cha lured the elder brother to his home to have a drink and killed him first, before killing the younger sibling. An autopsy of the bodies tentatively concluded that both victims died of head injuries. Police said Cha claimed to have committed the crime out of anger after the brothers failed to repay him a loan of 30 million won (US$21,500). Before stabbing the convenience store owner and his landlord, Cha was found to have spent two days inside the brothers' car. He told police the convenience store owner had spoken ill of him, while the landlord had looked down on him. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
23-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Suspect accused of killing 2, injuring 2 others to undergo psychopathy test
A suspect accused of killing two people and injuring two others will undergo a psychopathy diagnosis test, after his formal arrest earlier this week, police said Thursday. Cha Cheol-nam, a Chinese national of Korean ethnicity, is accused of killing two brothers of the same Chinese-Korean background in Siheung, just southwest of Seoul, on Saturday before stabbing a convenience store owner and his landlord in separate incidents on Monday. The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police's scientific investigation team assigned four criminal profilers to the case to analyze the 56-year-old and determine his motive. Police plan to conduct the psychopathy test on Cha to check if he has characteristics of a psychopath. The test is scored out of 40 points, and subjects are usually determined to be psychopaths in South Korea if they score over 25 points. Cha was apprehended by police Monday evening and claimed he premeditated the brothers' murder for not repaying him a loan of 30 million won ($21,500). A local district court issued a warrant to extend his detention Wednesday. After holding a meeting of the identity disclosure review committee on Thursday, police decided to make the suspect's personal information and mug shots public "in consideration of the seriousness of the crime and the public interest." His name, nationality and other information had already been made public following a wanted notice issued on the day of the stabbing incident. The released mug shots were taken after his arrest, officials said. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
22-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Police consider mugshot release for suspect of Siheung murders
A police committee will decide whether to reveal the mugshot of the Chinese national accused of double homicide and two additional attempted murders, Gyeonggi provincial police said Thursday. According to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police, the Deliberative Committee on Disclosure of Personal Information will convene to discuss releasing the personal information of Cha Cheol-nam, the 56-year-old arrested for the recent attacks in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. He has admitted to all charges. Cha's photo, date of birth and nationality had already been made public through wanted posters during Monday's manhunt, which followed his double homicide and non-fatal attacks on two additional individuals. However, a law-based release of information would allow his details to remain posted on the police website for 30 days. In contrast, the distribution of wanted posters is restricted once a suspect has been apprehended. The mugshot will also reveal the most recent image of Cha, whereas the wanted poster used a previously available photo. South Korean law states that in particularly atrocious cases of certain crimes including murder, violent crime rings, sex crimes, insurrection, drug crimes and offenses against minors, the police committee can decide whether to publicly disclose the suspect's name, age and a photo taken within 30 days, usually mugshots of the suspect. Cha is believed to have killed two men, Chinese nationals whom he had been acquainted with, last Saturday with blunt objects after. Cha on Monday told reporters that he had killed the victims as they had allegedly not paid him back for money they loaned. Also on Monday, Cha attacked a convenience store owner with a knife in the morning and attacked the landlord of his residence in the evening. He claimed that he had attacked the landlord because the victim looked down on him, and the store owner because she talked about him behind his back.
Korea Herald
21-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Suspect arrested for allegedly killing 2, seriously injuring 2 others
The suspect in the murder of two people and stabbing of two others was placed under formal arrest Wednesday. The Ansan branch of the Suwon District Court issued an arrest warrant for Cha Cheol-nam, a Chinese national of Korean ethnicity, on charges of murder and attempted murder. Cha, 56, is accused of killing two brothers of the same Chinese-Korean background in Siheung, just southwest of Seoul, on Saturday before stabbing a convenience store owner and his landlord in separate incidents on Monday. The store owner and landlord are reportedly undergoing treatment in an intensive care unit. "There is concern he will flee and destroy evidence," the court said in issuing the warrant. Cha was apprehended by police Monday evening and claimed he premeditated the brothers' murder for not repaying him a loan of 30 million won (US$21,500). (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Korea Herald
'They wouldn't pay me back. It's sad they died': says stabbing spree suspect
Suspect claims unpaid debt led to murder, police say other attacks appear to be motivated by grudges held against victims Cha Cheol-nam, the man arrested for double homicide and non-fatal attacks on two others, told reporters Monday that he killed the victims because they had not paid back money owed to him for over a decade. "There were financial dealings (with the victims). They borrowed money from me and didn't pay it back for 12 years," he said while being taken to the Siheung Police Station Monday evening, adding that it was "sad" that people died. Cha was captured in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province at around 7:24 p.m. He did not put up any resistance when police arrested him, admitted to all accusations, and is now under custody while police investigate him. Cha, a Chinese man of Korean ethnicity in his 50s, was subject to a wide-scale manhunt after knife attacks against a convenience store owner in her 50s and a man in his 70s on Monday. Cha fled in a stolen car after committing the initial attack at 9:30 a.m. Police then went to the residence of the car owner at around 11 a.m. where they discovered a body. Shortly after the second attack, the owner of a building Cha currently resides in, officers found another body inside the suspect's residence. The second dead victim was found to be the brother of the first deceased victim. Both men were Chinese nationals and Cha's neighbors. Both deaths are believed to have occurred a few days before Monday's knife attacks. Officials have yet to identify the exact nature of their relationship with the suspect. Police believe that the two attacks on Monday occurred because Cha held a grudge against the victims, who he had been acquainted with. The brutal attacks raised a city-wide alarm; Siheung authorities notified its residents to refrain from going outside via emergency text at around 4:40 p.m. Code 0, the highest level of police alert, was issued as officials launched a manhunt for the suspect.
