Dead body found in US trash bin... Identified as Korean American woman after 35 years

Reinvestigation Based on Genetic Sequence Information of Remains Found in Georgia Trash Bin in 1988

An unidentified female corpse found in a trash bin in the United States 35 years ago has been identified as a Korean American woman.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) on the 23rd (local time), the body of a woman was discovered in a trash bin in Millen, Georgia, on February 14, 1988. At the time, the body was tied with tape and placed inside a suitcase. The GBI estimated that the woman died of suffocation and that the body was found about a week after her death.

Kim's appearance during his lifetime released by GBI. [Image provided by Georgia Bureau of Investigation]

At that time, the GBI collected fingerprints and examined dental records to identify the body, comparing them with missing persons lists. They also created a composite sketch and utilized DNA technology, but due to the limited technology available then, no significant results were obtained.

Since this year, the GBI began collaborating with the DNA testing company Osram, which analyzed the genetic sequence information of the body. Based on this, a reinvestigation was conducted, and as a result, the deceased was identified as Korean American woman Kim Jeong-eun (aged 26 at the time).

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced on the 23rd (local time) that an unidentified deceased body found in Millen, Georgia in 1988 has been identified as Korean national Jeong-eun Kim. The photo shows Kim's appearance during his lifetime and a composite sketch released by the GBI. [Image courtesy of Georgia Bureau of Investigation]

Ms. Kim immigrated from Korea to the United States in 1981 and lived in Hinesville, Georgia, for several years before passing away in 1988. The perpetrator of Ms. Kim’s murder has not yet been identified. The GBI notified Ms. Kim’s family residing in Korea earlier this month.

The GBI requested through Facebook and other platforms, "We ask anyone who knew Ms. Kim or has information about her death to come forward."

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