The police investigating the 'Naju couple murder' case in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province are focusing their investigative power on determining whether the suspect planned the crime in advance and whether the murder was intentional.
According to Yonhap News coverage on the 8th, the Naju Police Station in Jeollanam-do is continuing its investigation to prove intentionality, which is a requirement for charging Mr. A (in his 50s) with robbery and murder, who was urgently arrested on suspicion of murder.
The police actually established that the crime was committed for robbery based on Mr. A's statement that he visited the couple to collect the money they had lent and the fact that 6 million won was withdrawn from the couple's credit card after the crime.
However, Mr. A claims that he did not intend to kill the couple, and is investigating whether he planned the crime in advance or had the intention to kill them.
The police are paying attention to Mr. A's actions of covering his face with a hat and mask before committing the crime.
As CCTV for crime prevention was installed near the alley leading to the house, it is believed that the fact that the person covered his face to avoid exposure of his identity may have been a premeditated crime.
Even after the crime, the fact that he deliberately fled to another area by alternately using the bicycle he rode, the victim's truck, and his own car is also considered to be circumstances that support a planned crime.
The police's intensive investigation into whether the crime was planned or whether the murder was intentional is also linked to the charges to be applied to Mr. A.
In order to apply the charge of robbery and murder instead of robbery and murder, either a 'definite intention' to kill the victim or an 'involuntary intention' to tolerate the victim's death despite being aware of the possibility of his or her own actions must be recognized.
Even if the victim is killed with a weapon during the crime of robbery, if the intent to kill is not acknowledged, a charge of robbery with death may be applied.
Under criminal law, the statutory penalty for robbery and murder is imprisonment for life or more than 10 years, and for robbery and murder, the punishment is the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Mr. A is reported to have claimed that he only went to the house to get back money he had lent to the couple in cash and that he had no intention of killing them.
The police have determined that the weapon used in the crime was not prepared in advance by Mr. A but was found in the couple's house, and are looking for the weapon.
The police are also extensively examining Mr. A's movements before and after the crime in order to secure circumstances and evidence to support the intent to kill.
Mr. A was arrested and is being investigated on charges of stabbing or strangling a couple in their 60s whom he had known to death at a house in Naju between 9:28 PM and 11:57 PM on the 5th.
The couple was found dead the next afternoon in the living room and master bedroom, respectively, with their hands and feet bound with tape and clothes.
On this day, the police applied for an arrest warrant for Mr. A on charges of robbery and murder.
