The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Man arrested for murder, using victim's fingerprints to secure loan

By Choi Jae-hee

Published : Dec. 3, 2024 - 14:14

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A man has been arrested and referred to the prosecution on charges of killing a stranger and using the victim’s fingerprints to obtain a loan via smartphone, Korean police revealed Tuesday.

The victim in his 30s was killed on Nov. 12 at his studio flat, in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. According to authorities, the suspect, also in his 30s, had no prior connection to the victim.

The suspect confessed to the police that he had been wandering around the multipurpose building where the victim’s studio was located, looking for a target to kill and steal money from. The victim, after finding the suspect sitting in front of his house told him to leave, at which point he suddenly attacked with a knife.

After the murder, the suspect used the victim’s identification card and debit card to pay for treatment at a nearby hospital. He also spent hundreds of thousands of won on convenience store purchases, taxi fares and accommodations. Although he secured a loan using the victim’s biometric information, he did not use the funds, local police said.

Police investigators found the victim’s body, wrapped in plastic, in his home.

Meanwhile, the suspect had no history of criminal record. The police conducted a psychopathy evaluation on him and the results have not yet been revealed.