'Gwanak-gu Mother and Child Murder'... Supreme Court to Confirm Husband's Life Sentence?

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] The Supreme Court is set to deliver its final verdict on Jo Mo (43), the husband sentenced to life imprisonment in both the first and second trials for the so-called 'Gwanak-gu mother and son murder case,' in which he killed his wife and 6-year-old son.

According to the legal community on the 15th, the Supreme Court's 2nd Division (Presiding Justice No Jeonghee) will hold the appeal trial of Jo, who is charged with murder and other offenses, on the morning of the same day.

Jo is accused of killing his wife A (42) and son B with a weapon in a multi-family house located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, in August 2019. At the time, the police did not find clear evidence such as the murder weapon or CCTV at the scene, so they identified Jo as the perpetrator based on on-site forensic data and expert analysis from the National Forensic Service and referred him to the prosecution.

Jo denied the crime, claiming that when he left the house, A and his son were sleeping.

However, the first trial court judged that Jo killed his wife and son according to a meticulous plan and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The appellate court also ruled that "the evidence estimating the time of death based on the contents has forensic credibility" and that "the estimated time of death generally coincides with the time the defendant was at home."

Additionally, the court found sufficient motive for the crime, noting that Jo had a mistress and that his wife had filed for divorce, raising issues over property division.

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