[Herald Economy = Reporter Jang Yeon-ju] The police investigating the death of a family of four in Suwon have found that the head of the family had been in distress over being unable to recover investments and debts worth hundreds of millions of won. It was revealed that this person had sent a text message to an acquaintance stating that he had lent them several hundred million won and had not been repaid.
According to investigators on the 11th, a man in his 40s, identified as Mr. A, was found dead after falling from an apartment in Jangan-gu, Suwon City, around 4:30 am on the 9th. The day before the incident, Mr. A sent a text message regarding his personal situation to an acquaintance. The message reportedly contained complaints about not having been able to receive back the money he lent.
The police gathered testimonies from acquaintances during their investigations, revealing that Mr. A had transferred 300 to 400 million won to acquaintances as an investment.
Based on CCTV footage, the police believe that Mr. A went up to the top floor of the apartment building and jumped out of a window.
Upon receiving a report about Mr. A’s body, the police identified him at 7:55 am, 3 hours and 25 minutes after arriving at the scene.
About 27 hours later, on the morning of the 10th, police entered Mr. A’s home and discovered the bodies of his wife, Mrs. B, who was in her 40s, their teenage son, and their young daughter in the master bedroom. Tools used for starting fires were found near the bodies, and marks indicating strangulation were found on each of their necks.
Police suspect that, based on the scene and mobile messages, Mr. A killed his family before committing suicide.
The National Forensic Service’s initial findings indicate that the cause of death for Mrs. B and the children was likely asphyxiation due to neck compression. It usually takes 1 to 2 months to receive detailed autopsy results to determine the exact cause of death and time of death.
However, no suicide note was found.
A police official stated, “It appears that Mr. A experienced economic difficulties due to financial dealings with acquaintances,” adding that they will draw final conclusions based on the detailed autopsy results from the National Forensic Service.
If the final investigation confirms that Mr. A killed his family and then committed suicide, the police plan to close the case due to ‘lack of prosecutorial authority’.
Meanwhile, this incident has sparked controversy over ‘inadequate investigation’, as the police identified Mr. A after his fall but took over a day to discover the bodies of his family members in the same apartment.
※ If you are experiencing depression or have concerns that are hard to discuss, or if you know someone experiencing similar difficulties, you can consult with a professional 24/7 via the suicide prevention hotline ☎109 or via the suicide prevention SNS consultation ‘Madeleine’.