Sex offender cuts off tracking monitor, kills 2, turns himself in

A 56-year-old registered sex offender who cut off his location-tracking ankle monitor and killed two women turned himself into the police Friday. Police found the bodies of the two women killed by the man, who was only identified as Kang, in his vehicle and residence.

A police official said on Sunday, “The body found in the residence was found to have been killed inside, but the body found in the vehicle requires further investigation."

The two women, who were in their 40s and 50s, were reportedly acquainted with Kang.

Songpa Police Precinct in southern Seoul said that Kang killed one woman before cutting off his electronic tracking device at 8 a.m. on Friday and then killed another woman while he was on the run. Police identified the two bodies based on Kang’s confession.

According to police, Kang cut off his electronic tracking device and ran away on the street in Sincheon-dong, Songpa District, on Friday.

Kang threw the device away in Mongchontoseong Station, subway line No. 8, and then rented a vehicle and fled to Seoul Station, from where he went into hiding until later turning himself in.

“We are investigating whether any sexual assault was committed before the murders, and the precise motive for the crimes,” a police official said. “So far, no traces have been found that the victims’ bodies were violated, nor have any weapons used in the murders been found.”

He added, “It appears that the perpetrator strangled them to death.”

Kang reportedly told the police that he turned himself in “because [he] thought the crime would soon be found and caught by the police."

According to the Justice Ministry, Kang has a total of 14 criminal convictions, including two cases of sexual violence and an armed robbery.

The second sexual offense was committed in 2005, five months after he had been released from prison, during which he also threatened the victim with a weapon and stole money and valuables.

Kang was sentenced to 15 years in prison and released from prison this year on May 6. He committed his most recent murders three months into the court order to wear an electronic tracking device for five years.

His most recent victims were not victims from a previous incident, police said.

“Kang did not have a dedicated probation officer,” said a Justice Ministry official while explaining why he was not under tighter supervision.

“Previous criminal offenders who have been released from prison only have a dedicated supervisor if they have committed more than three sexual assaults,” the official said. “Kang’s criminal record was below that standard.”

“The Justice Ministry will come up with thorough measures to prevent repeat crimes by those subject to electronic supervision in the future,” the official vowed.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]