Unveiling the Bold Faces of Criminals on 'Brave Detectives 5'

The audacious faces of criminals were revealed on 'Brave Detectives 5'.

On the October 24th episode of T-Cast E Channel's 'Brave Detectives 5' (directed by Lee Ji-sun), former detective Kim Yong-ho from Andong Police Station, Inspector Hwang Kyu-hwan from Yeongju Police Station's Women and Youth Investigation Team, former Commissioner Yoon Wae-chul from the Scientific Investigation Unit (KCSI), and Officer Kim Jin-soo appeared to disclose their investigation logs.

The first case introduced began with a report of unidentified bones, possibly human, found in a field. The field was in a remote area, and large bones, presumed to be human, were discovered at a spot likely dug up by wild animals. The search revealed a lower body buried with clothes and shoes, while only some ribs remained in the upper body. Most of the remains were skeletal, making fingerprint identification difficult, and the absence of a skull complicated the identification process.

A metal implant was found near the left arm, leading to the identification of a missing woman with a history of left arm fracture surgery from the local missing persons list. The victim was a woman in her mid-40s, whose address was a 15-minute drive from where the body was found, and she had been reported missing three months prior. The location of the body, just 100 meters from her late father's grave, added to the tragedy.

The victim's mother testified that she last saw her daughter nine months before the body was found. She had been out of touch with her daughter, who suffered from long-term depression, and was staying in another region, which delayed the report. The mother thought her daughter had simply left after a call saying, "I'm going to Inje. Don't worry," following a visit to a sauna with her brother. A message saying "Don't look for me" found in her daughter's room also delayed the report.

On the morning of their last call, the mother received a message from an insurance company about a 32 million won traffic accident compensation being deposited in her daughter's name. The withdrawal slip bore the victim's signature, and a bank security guard recalled the victim visiting with a man of similar age, identified as her brother, Choi (alias).

An investigation into Choi's financial transactions revealed a deposit of 10 million won on the day the compensation was withdrawn. He was found to have been working odd jobs and spending money at internet cafes and bars when he had it. A bar owner testified that Choi paid off a 7 million won debt with 10 million won and bought a used car, carrying bundles of cash.

Choi was found at a regular internet cafe and, when asked to accompany the detectives, calmly stated he would tell them everything he knew. Initially, he claimed his sister gave him 5 million won, but later changed his story, saying she paid off his debts and bought him a truck. Choi claimed that on the day they went to the sauna, his sister, who was severely depressed, asked him how to die. He said he booked two rooms at a motel instead of a sauna and suggested ways to die, claiming his sister said she couldn't do it alone. He advised her to "take the compensation and die," suggesting using a saw to cut her neck as a quick method.

Choi claimed he was fulfilling his sister's request and had indeed purchased an electric saw. The victim's head was found wrapped in plastic at the location he indicated, shocking investigators. Choi stated he initially planned the crime near their father's grave but moved to another location after his sister objected. Ahn Jung-hwan expressed anger, saying, "It doesn't make sense. I can't listen to this." Choi claimed he spent money at a room salon out of guilt after the crime, asking for understanding. The message found in the victim's room was revealed to be fabricated by Choi to prevent his mother from reporting her missing. He was ultimately sentenced to 12 years in prison. Although the charge of solicited murder was not recognized, his history of mental health treatment was considered in sentencing.

The next case introduced by KCSI involved a victim's habit leading to the capture of the perpetrator. The case began when a police officer on night patrol discovered a deceased person inside a bar. The victim was a woman in her 50s, the bar owner, who ran the place alone without employees. She was found kneeling on the floor, face down on a sofa. The bar showed signs of recent patron visits, and a drawer was missing from the back room, raising questions. A 260mm shoe print was found on the floor.

Two clear fingerprints were identified from those collected at the scene, one belonging to a drug offender and the other to a person with 14 prior convictions. The drug offender's fingerprint was found on a liquor bottle on display, making it unlikely they visited on the day of the incident, while the 14-time offender's fingerprint was found on a glass at a customer table. The latter voluntarily appeared and testified that when he visited the bar, another male customer was at a diagonal table, and the victim seemed to be wary of him.

Suspects included the victim's ex-boyfriend, who had previously assaulted her, and a person known for threatening local business owners, but the clue came from an unexpected source. The victim's children testified that their mother had a habit of hiding her earnings in various places. A re-search of the bar revealed a 100,000 won check under the floor mat, issued the day before the body was found. The name on the check was unclear, but the phone number and surname were legible.

The check was traced to a man in his 30s who was wholesaling bags in Dongdaemun and had withdrawn it to pay for goods at ten different businesses. Most business owners had used the check to pay employee wages, and a bag factory owner testified that a seamstress had not returned to work after receiving her salary. The seamstress matched the surname on the check and was identified as a 32-year-old man. He had six prior convictions and matched the partial fingerprint found at the scene. His shoe size was also confirmed to be 260mm.

The seamstress was urgently arrested and initially denied the crime, but faced with fingerprint, check, and footprint evidence, he confessed. He claimed he committed the crime because he felt disrespected by the victim. He alleged that while drinking together, he confronted the victim about moving to another customer's table, and she slapped him, prompting his actions. He also claimed he searched the back room drawer to retrieve the 300,000 won he had paid for drinks. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for murder and theft.

Reporter Lee So-jung, TenAsia forusojung@tenasia.co.kr