Investigators unsure if remains from fiery crash belong to missing South Korean family
Summary
Officials are working to identify additional human remains from a fatal pileup crash on Interstate 40 in Arizona.
The remains could belong to three South Korean tourists who have been missing since March 13.
GPS data from the family's rental car coincides with the location and time of the crash.
The accident involved 22 vehicles and 36 drivers and occupants, according to the Arizona DPS.
Only small portions of human remains have been recovered, complicating the identification process. Arizona officials are working to determine whether additional human remains discovered in the debris of a fatal pileup crash on Interstate 40 on March 13 are those of the South Korean family who went missing in the area at the time of the crash.
Jiyeon Lee, Taehee Kim and Junghee Kim have been missing for nearly two weeks after driving through a winter storm on their road trip between the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.
Investigators have confirmed that one of the vehicles in the collision, which involved multiple passenger vehicles that 'were rear-ended, pushing them into, and in some cases, underneath crashed tractor-trailers,' was a BMW SUV, an update from the Coconino County Sheriff's Office said on Monday. The family had been traveling in a BMW rental vehicle, the sheriff's office said.
The vehicle's GPS data showed the rental car was last on Interstate 40 westbound around 3:27 p.m., coinciding with the fatal pileup accident on the same interstate during a winter storm, according to a release from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The crash happened around 3:27 p.m. on westbound Interstate 40 near milepost 159.5 in Williams, Arizona, on a snow and ice-covered interstate. Some of the vehicles involved in the crash burned for more than 20 hours at 'extreme temperatures, resulting in extensive destruction,' DPS told CNN Saturday.
Initially, Arizona DPS reported that the accident involved 22 vehicles and 36 drivers and occupants, resulting in at least two fatalities and injuring 16 people. Over the weekend, highway patrol investigators announced they had discovered additional human remains.
The intensity and prolonged duration of the fire 'have posed significant challenges for identification efforts,' the sheriff's office noted on Monday, requiring 'meticulous examination' in the process of identifying the of additional remains found.
Bart Graves with Arizona DPS told CNN on Wednesday, that only 'small portions of human remains' had been located. 'Of these portions, we cannot even determine at this point in time if those remains are from the same body or different bodies,' he said.
'The Yavapai County Medical Examiner's Office is diligently working to ascertain whether identification is possible,' the sheriff's office said. 'We understand the urgency and the emotional toll this uncertainty places on the families and the public. We kindly ask for patience and understanding as our teams continue to work with care and precision to bring clarity to this heartbreaking situation.'
'At this point in time, though, we do not expect any updates in the near future as the analysis takes time,' Graves added.
The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles told CNN it would provide 'full support if the investigative authorities request cooperation regarding this matter.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Mystery man leaving jugs of urine in Oregon recycling bins now marking new territory, terrorized locals say
The notorious Portland Pisser is marking new territory. For nearly a year, a mysterious man has been leaving milk cartons and water jugs full of urine in the recycling bins of one neighborhood in Oregon's largest city. He wears a hood and comes by night, like Santa Claus' demented brother. Now, this pisser may be expanding his operation — and his attacks may be getting more brazen. Trish Bellingham from Beaverton, a suburb near the urine-soaked neighborhood, said she was working from home 'in broad daylight' last Friday when a mysterious figure pulled up to her house, stuck something in her recycling bin and casually drove off, she told KATU. 5 Jugs of urine left by a mysterious man in Portland. ALEX VAN DUYN 5 Jugs of urine near recycling bins — the vandal's favorite target. KATU 2 Advertisement 'I immediately came outside to see what he had put into my can … I lifted the lid and I found two bottles of urine,' she said. Bellingham knew what she was dealing with: The pisser's reputation is well known around town, and she immediately called the TV station to aid its, ahem, yellow journalism. It is unclear whether the new suspect is the original pisser or a mere copycat; Bellingham said he drove a white car, but previous footage — taken at night — seems to show him in a dark-colored vehicle. But Bellingham believed him to be the same man. 'It just seems like a very deranged, very sick individual that would come through in a neighborhood,' she told KATU. The attacks go back at least to last September, when northeast Portland resident Alex Van Duyn opened his own recycling bin to find a batch of six gallon-sized water bottles filled with urine. 5 Security camera footage shows the hooded man in action. KATU 2 Advertisement 5 Alex Van Duyn, whose bin was first attacked last September. KATU 2 5 Another view of the alleged urine-leaver. ALEX VAN DUYN The jugs kept coming, prompting Van Duyn to train a security camera on his curb in hopes of catching the scoundrel yellow-handed. He captured footage of a hooded man rolling up by night in what appeared to be a BMW, then slinking out to his trunk and emptying armloads of piss-filled bottles into the bins, according to KATU. Advertisement Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Eventually, Van Duyn decided he'd had enough and stopped putting out his recycling — but the slippery suspect simply moved on to a neighbor's recycling bin, and then on to another. Van Duyn and other neighbors have contacted local police about the matter, but for now, the Portland Pisser's rain of terror continues.
New York Post
5 days ago
- New York Post
Former NY gov David Paterson sues brother for stealing $7 m
Cain and Abel, meet David and Daniel. Ex-New York Gov. David Paterson is accusing his brother of cheating him out of his inheritance — by allegedly tricking their elderly mother into giving him over $7 million before her death. A bombshell lawsuit filed by the former governor claims his younger brother Daniel Paterson, 67, duped mom Portia into transferring the massive sum from her estate to his account through 'undue influence, coercion and excessive persuasion.' The sneaky move allowed Daniel and his attorney wife Eloise to bypass a long-standing will ordering the brothers to split their mom's estate 50-50 — cheating David, 71, out of some $3.5 million, the Manhattan Supreme Court suit alleges. 'She divested herself of assets in excess of $7 million by transferring [the] same to defendants prior to her death in contradiction and contravention of her long-standing last will and testament,' the court documents, filed Monday, state. 4 Former New York Gov David Paterson (left) says his brother Daniel (right) tricked their 94-year-old mother into transferring over $7 million from her estate to him, according to a new lawsuit. Robert Miller Then, after 94-year-old Portia Paterson's death in July, Daniel allegedly tried to claim that their mom died with less than $30,000 to her name in a checking account and an 'inoperable' BMW, the suit alleges. The 55th Governor — a Democrat who was in office between 2008-2010 — is suing his brother, sister-in-law and two nephews for his alleged at least $3.5 million share of Portia's estate. 'There was a conspiracy to conceal that Portia's assets were transferred before her death,' said the former gov's attorney, Paul W. Siegert. 'She had a huge estate. 4 Lt Gov Basil Paterson and wife Portia at fund raising party for peace candidates, at 'Pembles' in 1970. She passed away last July at 94. Jerry Engel/NY Post 'Everybody kept it a secret,' Siegert said, 'then we found out about it.' Daniel, who has worked for the state court system's office of diversity and inclusion, told a reporter that 'this must be a scam call' when reached by phone Tuesday, and quickly hung up. He did not return repeated messages asking for comment. Portia Paterson was married for 61 years to Basil Paterson, who was the first black vice chair of the National Democratic Party, and the first black secretary of state of New York. 4 The former governor's lawsuit alleges that leading up to her death, Daniel and his attorney wife Eloise (center) tricked the 94-year-old to transfer millions through 'undue influence, coercion and excessive persuasion.' AP She was a longtime school teacher at P.S. 116 in Jamaica, a guidance counselor at Queens College, and was a known advocate for disabled students like her son David, who is legally blind. The ex-gov claims he only learned about the alleged 'unjust enrichment' last month after Daniel filed an affidavit to settle his mother's estate in surrogate's court. David's attorney then said he got a notice from the court, leading to the shocking discovery that his brother was claiming their late mother only had a $27,000 bank account and an 'inoperable' 2011 BMW 5-series valued at $2,000. On top of that, the affidavit claimed $8,500 in funeral expenses to be subtracted from the estate. That means the former governor's share of what was once his mother's sizable estate would be a mere $10,250. 4 Basil Paterson, his wife Portia, and their sons Daniel and David at JFK airport in 1970. Vic DeLucia/NY Post 'Even Portia's lawyer of 30 years – who wrote her will – did not know that Portia had transferred $7,000,000 in assets,' Siegert said. Daniel, the executor of Portia's estate, allegedly never even notified her estate lawyers of her death, Siegert claimed. 'How could she die in July of 2024, and we only find out almost a year later that her will was not being probated and then out of the blue, we get a notice from the surrogate's court that her net estate is $21,500,' the attorney said. 'Draw your own conclusions.'
UPI
5 days ago
- UPI
South Korean PM candidate vows 'inclusion' amid opposition calls for withdrawal
South Korean Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok speaks at a briefing for foreign media in downtown Seoul on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI SEOUL, June 17 (UPI) -- South Korean prime minister nominee Kim Min-seok on Tuesday rebuffed calls for his withdrawal by the opposition party over past political funding scandals and vowed to pursue "the politics of inclusion" in a deeply polarized climate. Kim, who was nominated for the prime minister's office by recently elected President Lee Jae-myung, is expected to undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing next week. The conservative opposition People Power Party is calling for him to step aside, however, citing convictions for receiving illegal political donations in 2002 and 2008. He is also facing additional allegations of illegal fundraising as well as accusations of nepotism. The 61-year-old four-term lawmaker has said the charges are politically motivated and on Tuesday vowed to work with the opposition even as his liberal Democratic Party holds a large majority in the National Assembly. "I understand sufficiently that they are either criticizing or opposing my nomination for prime minister," Kim told foreign media at a briefing in downtown Seoul. "However, even if I understand their opposition, that doesn't mean that legal issues that do not exist come to exist." "Of course, I will engage in politics based on the absolute majority that we hold in the National Assembly," Kim added. "But at the same time, I am determined to pursue the politics of inclusion." Kim was a key adviser for Lee Jae-myung's successful campaign in the June 3 snap election caused by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt. The opposition People Power Party has stepped up its calls for Kim to withdraw in recent days, saying that suspicions regarding the nominee are mounting. "The solution is simple and clear," PPP spokesman Kwon Dong-wook said in a statement Monday. "Kim's voluntary resignation is the answer." In a Facebook post Monday, Kim said that his past convictions stemmed from a "targeted investigation of the political prosecution." "It is a targeted investigation case that is unclear even about who demanded the political funds and why," he wrote. On Tuesday, Kim said he would "definitely address all of the issues" during his confirmation hearing and would do his best to persuade the opposition. "Former President Kim Dae-jung used to say that you need to be patient with criticism coming from the opposition, but if the criticism is incorrect, you need to persuade them," Kim said. "I will be more patient than what would probably be expected by the current opposition," he said. "And I am determined to be very persuasive with them."
