Death penalty sought for culprits in 'Pattaya barrel murder' case
South Korean prosecutors are requesting the death penalty for two Korean men accused of murdering a Korean tourist in Thailand and discarding the body, court officials said Wednesday.
The prosecution requested the Changwon District Court in South Gyeongsang Province to hand down capital punishment to the 39-year-old man surnamed Kim and his 27-year-old accomplice surnamed Lee for charges including murder during robbery, discarding of a body and attempted extortion. Officials requested a life sentence for another accomplice, a 25-year-old also surnamed Lee.
The punishments were sought in accordance with the extent of which the suspects are thought to be involved in the crime.
The verdict and sentencing are slated for Jan. 16, 2025.
The three men are accused of murdering a 34-year-old Korean in Pattaya, Thailand, on May 3. They had reportedly been unacquainted with the victim before meeting him at a nightclub in Bangkok.
Prosecutors allege the suspects took the victim to Pattaya -- around 150 kilometers southeast of Bangkok -- in a rental car and murdered him, before desecrating his corpse in an attempt to conceal his identity. They then put his body in a plastic barrel and filled it with cement before dumping it at a nearby reservoir.
An investigation found that the suspects used the victim's cellphone to withdraw 3.7 million won ($2,570) and blackmailed the victim's family for more cash. They allegedly called the family on May 7, after the victim was already dead, and threatened to kill him if the family did not wire 100 million won.
Thai police tracked down the suspects and found that they had all left the country soon after the murder -- separating to Cambodia, Myanmar and South Korea. With cooperation from Interpol and local authorities, all three suspects were taken into custody by September.
Investigators found that the three suspects met via a hiring advertisement for a voice phishing scam.
By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)
Copyright © 코리아헤럴드. 무단전재 및 재배포 금지.