A young crime story obsessive who has confessed to killing and dismembering another woman murdered her victim ‘out of curiosity’ to see what it was like, South Korean police said Thursday.
Police in the southern city of Busan said the woman, who was arrested Wednesday, was engrossed in crime stories and wanted to see what murder would be like for real.
Jung Yoo-jung, 23, has confessed to the murder of an unnamed freelance tutor and was indicted for the crime on Friday.
The young crime story fanatic had previously told police she killed her victim following an argument, The Chosunilbo reported, but officers soon found contradictions in her story. After being urged by her family to tell the truth, Jung confessed to police.
Authorities confirmed they were conducting tests to determine whether Jung is considered a psychopath.
Jung Yoo-jung, 23, (pictured by police) has confessed to the murder of an unnamed freelance tutor and was indicted for the crime on Friday
‘Jung was found to have premeditated the crime driven by a desire to kill someone after she became obsessed with murder from TV programs and books.’ The Chosunilbo reported a a Busan police spokesperson as saying.
‘Jung also said she feels sorry for what she did,’ the police spokesman added. ‘We are conducting tests to see if she is a psychopath.’
After gathering evidence, authorities believe the murder and dismemberment were carefully planned.
Police said Jung’s phone records show she had spent the previous three months scowling the internet for tips on how to hide a dead body.
Police also believe she used crime novels and television programs as research. Jung’s library record shows she borrowed a number of crime stories in the months before the crime.
Jung found her victim using an app for private tutors to connect with parents. She posed as a mother of a school child wanting her daughter to learn English. They both agreed that the daughter could come to the tutor’s house for a consultation two days later.
Jung then bought a school uniform online to pose as the fake daughter. Once she entered the victim’s home, she stabbed her with a knife.
Police said: ‘Jung is short, and with the uniform on, the victim probably mistook her for a middle-school student.’
Having planned out the crime, police said Jung visited a nearby supermarket where she bought rolls of large bin bags and bottles of bleach.
Police in the southern city of Busan (pictured) said Jung Yoo-jung was engrossed in crime stories and wanted to see what murder would be like for real
Jung then cut up and dismembered her victim and placed some of her body parts in a suitcase. She then got in a taxi and dumped the suitcase in the Nakdong River in a secluded wooded area.
Police said Jung had tried to ‘make it look like the victim had disappeared.’
‘Jung kept the victim’s mobile phone, ID card and wallet, attempting to commit a perfect crime.’
However, the taxi driver became suspicious and alerted authorities.
Police retrieved the case to find blood-stained clothes. The remaining body parts were found in Jung’s house.
‘Jung was a loner and a recluse who has been unemployed since graduating from high school five years ago,’ police said.
Jung was escorted out of the detention centre on Friday morning for prosecution. She told reporters she feels ‘really sorry for the victim’s family,’ The Korea Times reported.
She added said, ‘I think I was out of my mind,’ when asked by reporters why she tried to cover up the murder.
