Two men, a Chinese national and a man who naturalized from China, were indicted and detained after injuring a small business CEO by striking with a sledgehammer. Police sent the case to prosecutors without identifying the motive, but prosecutors conducted a full supplemental investigation and found it was an attempted premeditated robbery-murder to steal money and valuables.
The Criminal Division 1 of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office (chief prosecutor Lee Dong-hyun) said it changed the charge against A, 38, who was referred by police on suspicion including special injury, to attempted robbery-murder and indicted in detention.
It also sent the accomplice B, 32, to trial in custody on charges including aiding and abetting robbery-injury for specifically discussing the crime plan with A and managing the tools. A naturalized from China, and B is a Chinese national.
According to prosecutors, A is accused of attempting to kill C, 61, a small business CEO, by wielding a blunt weapon in an underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Bupyeong District, Incheon, in Jul. A struck C's eyes with a box coated with adhesive and hit the head with a sledgehammer, but C managed to escape. C sustained injuries requiring two weeks of treatment.
A refused to make a statement during the police investigation. In Sep., police referred A to prosecutors in custody on charges including special injury without confirming the motive or accomplices.
Prosecutors then uncovered the existence of accomplice B by investigating on the basis that A chose C, a complete stranger, as the target and meticulously planned the crime. Prosecutors forensically analyzed A's mobile phone, translating and reviewing thousands of items including call recordings in Chinese, chat logs, memos, and photos, and also tracked cell tower locations and financial transaction records.
The investigation found that A and B planned to kidnap a wealthy person to escape financial hardship, then steal money and valuables and kill the victim. A tailed the residences, office, and regular places such as a golf course and a cafe used by C and the family, and tried to rent land to bury the body. They also planned to flee overseas.
Separately from this crime, in Jul. they tailed D, 59, a jewelry shop owner in Incheon, with the intent to steal gold bullion and other items. They also prepared tools including a stun gun and anesthetics.
An official at the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office said, "We will do our best in maintaining the indictment so that the participants receive punishments commensurate with their crimes," and added, "We will continue to respond sternly to violent crimes that threaten people's daily lives through proactive supplemental investigations."