ID :
46923
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 18:40
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/46923
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Serial murderer allegedly set fire that killed wife and mother-in-law
ANSAN, South Korea, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) -- Prosecutors said Sunday that a suspected serial murderer who has admitted to killing eight women also set a fire that killed his wife and mother-in-law to get insurance money.
Kang Ho-sun, 38, was arrested last month on charges of kidnapping and murdering a
female college student and has since confessed to killing seven more female
victims over the past two years, mainly on the outskirts of Seoul.
After his apprehension, police reopened an investigation into a 2005 case in
which a blaze at Kang's home killed his wife and her mother. The fire broke out
just a week after Kang bought several life insurance policies for his wife.
Kang received 480 million won (US$318,000) in insurance payments upon her death.
He has been under suspicion about the deadly fire, which he escape unscathed, but
Kang has adamantly denied the arson charges.
"We confirmed that the fire incident was caused by Kang Ho-sun who wanted to get
(the insurance) money," the Suwon District Prosecutors Office said.
Kang told police after the blaze that the fire had started with an electric
mosquito repeller and had spread to the entire house. But prosecutors say it is
unlikely there would have been a mosquito coil in the living room on a cold
October day.
Comparing pictures of the house taken right after the fire and three days later,
prosecutors said a plastic oil container that may have been used by Kang could
not be seen in the second photo, indicating that the person who caused the fire
had removed this crucial piece of evidence.
In addition, prosecutors confirmed that DNA from two other women apart from the
eight victims was discovered on a hoe that Kang had used, suggesting there may be
more victims.
Prosecutors indicted Kang on charges of murdering seven women and arson. They
will carry out additional indictment on the allegation of the eighth victim, an
employee of a small county office, as soon as police wrap up that investigation.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
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Kang Ho-sun, 38, was arrested last month on charges of kidnapping and murdering a
female college student and has since confessed to killing seven more female
victims over the past two years, mainly on the outskirts of Seoul.
After his apprehension, police reopened an investigation into a 2005 case in
which a blaze at Kang's home killed his wife and her mother. The fire broke out
just a week after Kang bought several life insurance policies for his wife.
Kang received 480 million won (US$318,000) in insurance payments upon her death.
He has been under suspicion about the deadly fire, which he escape unscathed, but
Kang has adamantly denied the arson charges.
"We confirmed that the fire incident was caused by Kang Ho-sun who wanted to get
(the insurance) money," the Suwon District Prosecutors Office said.
Kang told police after the blaze that the fire had started with an electric
mosquito repeller and had spread to the entire house. But prosecutors say it is
unlikely there would have been a mosquito coil in the living room on a cold
October day.
Comparing pictures of the house taken right after the fire and three days later,
prosecutors said a plastic oil container that may have been used by Kang could
not be seen in the second photo, indicating that the person who caused the fire
had removed this crucial piece of evidence.
In addition, prosecutors confirmed that DNA from two other women apart from the
eight victims was discovered on a hoe that Kang had used, suggesting there may be
more victims.
Prosecutors indicted Kang on charges of murdering seven women and arson. They
will carry out additional indictment on the allegation of the eighth victim, an
employee of a small county office, as soon as police wrap up that investigation.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
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