Police consider mugshot release for suspect of Siheung murders
A police committee will decide whether to reveal the mugshot of the Chinese national accused of double homicide and two additional attempted murders, Gyeonggi provincial police said Thursday.
According to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police, the Deliberative Committee on Disclosure of Personal Information will convene to discuss releasing the personal information of Cha Cheol-nam, the 56-year-old arrested for the recent attacks in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. He has admitted to all charges.
Cha's photo, date of birth and nationality had already been made public through wanted posters during Monday's manhunt, which followed his double homicide and non-fatal attacks on two additional individuals. However, a law-based release of information would allow his details to remain posted on the police website for 30 days. In contrast, the distribution of wanted posters is restricted once a suspect has been apprehended.
The mugshot will also reveal the most recent image of Cha, whereas the wanted poster used a previously available photo.
South Korean law states that in particularly atrocious cases of certain crimes including murder, violent crime rings, sex crimes, insurrection, drug crimes and offenses against minors, the police committee can decide whether to publicly disclose the suspect's name, age and a photo taken within 30 days, usually mugshots of the suspect.
Cha is believed to have killed two men, Chinese nationals whom he had been acquainted with, last Saturday with blunt objects after. Cha on Monday told reporters that he had killed the victims as they had allegedly not paid him back for money they loaned.
Also on Monday, Cha attacked a convenience store owner with a knife in the morning and attacked the landlord of his residence in the evening. He claimed that he had attacked the landlord because the victim looked down on him, and the store owner because she talked about him behind his back.
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