'Crocodile Tears' Gwanak-gu Mother and Child Murder Case Husband... Stayed Only 20 Minutes at the Funeral

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] "During the trial proceedings of this case, there were several occasions when photos of the deceased victims at the scene, autopsy photos, and organ photos were presented, causing the bereaved families to express extreme sorrow and even the prosecuting attorney to be overcome with grief. However, except for when the prosecutor requested the death penalty, the defendant remained completely unmoved and displayed an extremely cold attitude."

This is a part of the first trial verdict for Jo Mo (42), who was sentenced to life imprisonment last August for killing his wife and six-year-old son in a multi-family house in Gwanak-gu, Seoul.

On the 30th of last month, during the sentencing hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 33 (Presiding Judge Donghwan Son), when the prosecution demanded the death penalty, Jo tearfully pleaded not guilty, saying, "I am also a victim who lost my beloved wife and son," and "I want to catch the real culprit more than anyone and feel wronged."

However, examining the first trial verdict reveals that Jo’s tears at that time were 'crocodile tears.' The verdict, consisting of 44 pages of A4 paper, includes not only the facts of the crime and evidence but also Jo’s behavior before and after the crime. His behavior before and after the crime became indirect circumstantial evidence that the court used to find him guilty.

According to the verdict, unlike the bereaved families who searched for the victims the day after the incident when Jo was unreachable, he took no action such as reporting to the police. He sent two text messages asking about the whereabouts on his deceased wife’s phone and even went to sleep. Around midnight, Jo heard from the police about the victims’ deaths. However, he did not inquire about the circumstances of his wife and son’s deaths and calmly expressed only his intention to go to the crime scene.

Afterward, Jo did not inform his paternal family about the deaths of his wife and son. He visited the funeral home accompanied by a lawyer. He did not participate in the funeral procedures at all and left within 20 to 30 minutes, according to the verdict. Regarding this behavior, the police officer who inspected the scene testified that "there was no sign of sorrow at all."

Even after the funerals of his wife and son, Jo spent time downloading movies or searching for trivial information on the internet. He showed no attitude of searching for the 'culprit' who killed his wife and son or participating in the investigation process. The court stated, "Although it was said to be behavior advised by the lawyer, it is difficult to readily accept this as the conduct of someone who lost their family."

When the court announced the sentencing reasons at the sentencing hearing on the 24th, Jo maintained a calm expression. "Until the moment of their deaths, the wife and son loved and respected the defendant, but the result was a horrific death. The young son welcomed his father, and the wife welcomed her husband happily, but the defendant, with a clear intent to kill, fell asleep and brutally murdered the victims who could not resist at all. The method and result of the killing were unimaginably atrocious." This was in stark contrast to the bereaved families and friends of the victims who burst into tears at these sentencing reasons.

Jo denied the crime from the investigation stage. The authorities never found clear evidence such as the murder weapon or CCTV footage to prove the charges. Therefore, Jo may argue innocence in the upcoming second trial by pointing out the lack of direct evidence. He may shed crocodile tears once again. Jo’s appeal has not yet been submitted. Appeals can be filed within seven days after sentencing.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.