In Georgia this week, a 54-year-old woman became the seventh person arrested in the tragic "Soldiers of Christ" murder case. This case involves the deceitful luring of a 33-year-old woman to the United States under the pretense of joining a "religious organization." Instead, she suffered severe physical abuse and was ultimately starved to death in the basement of a suburban home. The victim's emaciated and decomposing body was discovered in the trunk of a car outside a popular Korean spa.
Mihee Lee was apprehended by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit on Wednesday, facing felony murder charges in connection to the brutal killing of Seehe Cho. Lee also faces additional charges of false imprisonment, concealing a death, tampering with evidence, and making false statements. It's important to note that she is the mother of three of the six suspects previously arrested in Cho's death, all of whom are facing the same array of charges.
The individuals already arrested include Mihee Lee's three sons, Juoonhyum Lee, Joonho Lee, and Junyeong Lee, along with Hyunji Lee, Eric Hyun, and Gawon Lee.
The investigation began when the Gwinnett County Police Department responded to a call about suspicious activity outside Jeju Sauna Spa on September 12. Notably, the suspects did not seem to have any connection to the spa.
Upon arrival at the scene, first responders found an adult female's decomposing body in the trunk of a Jaguar sedan parked outside the spa. The body had been in the trunk for at least a week. It's believed that Hyun, one of the suspects, parked the vehicle in front of the spa and called a family member to pick him up. When the family member returned to retrieve a personal item, they discovered Cho's body and called 911.
Police found significant evidence at an address where Mihee Lee was the primary resident. According to GCPD Cpl. Juan Madiedo, it is believed that the crime took place in the basement of that location. The victim was allegedly brought over from South Korea during the summer, under the pretext of joining a religious organization that called themselves "Soldiers of Christ."
There is currently no evidence suggesting that the suspects were involved in sex trafficking or had any sexual motives for their crimes. According to the coroner's office, the victim suffered from "beatings and malnourishment," which is believed to be the cause of her death. Starvation or malnutrition is pending as the official cause of death.
An attorney representing Eric Hyun released a letter claiming that he, like Cho, was a victim of the "Soldiers of Christ" group. According to the letter, Hyun was recruited into the "church" by Joonho Lee and was subjected to physical torture, beatings, and airsoft gun shootings in the home's basement as part of a "religious ritual." The attorney further states that Hyun was coerced into transferring "tens of thousands" of funds to Korea and could only escape the house with the victim's remains.
Comments
Post a Comment