7th suspect charged in death of Korean woman found in car trunk in Georgia
By Carl Samson
October 12, 2023
A seventh suspect — the mother of three who were previously arrested — has been charged in connection with the death of a South Korean woman whose remains were found decaying in the trunk of a car in Duluth, Georgia, last month.
About the victim: Sehee Cho, 33, traveled to the U.S. in July to join a religious organization called “Soldiers of Christ.” On Sept. 12, she was found dead in the trunk of a Jaguar parked in front of Jeju Sauna on 3555 Gwinnett Place Drive.
Police believe Cho was beaten and starved until her death. Her remains weighed 70 pounds (31.75 kilograms) when they were found wrapped in a blanket.
About the latest suspect: Mihee Lee, 54, was arrested and booked into the Gwinnett County jail on Wednesday morning. Lee is believed to be involved in the abuse of Cho, which allegedly took place in her family’s basement in Lawrenceville.
Lee allegedly limited Cho’s water intake, barred her from leaving or seeking medical care and later misled authorities in their investigation. She was charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, concealing a death and making false statements.
Previous arrests: Six individuals were previously arrested in connection with the case: Eric Hyun, 26; Gawon Lee, 26; Hyunji Lee, 25; Joonho Lee, 26; Joonhyun Lee, 22; and a 15-year-old, who was reportedly charged as an adult. Mihee Lee is the mother of Joonho, Joonhyun and the 15-year-old.
The six suspects were charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence and concealing a death. They also face gang-related charges.
One suspect released: Hyun, the owner of the Jaguar, has claimed to be another torture victim of the Lees. He was released on a $100,000 bail on Wednesday.
“He was beaten with a belt in his genitals and face until he was knocked unconscious,” Hyun’s lawyer, David Boyle, wrote. “He was stripped naked and shot with an airsoft gun all over his body, causing over a hundred wounds.”
Cho’s body was found after Hyun parked his car and called a relative to take him to a hospital for an unrelated injury. While they were there, Hyun asked his relative to retrieve a personal item in the car, leading to the discovery of Cho’s body.
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