Prison Sentences Finalized for Husband and Son Who Killed 80-Year-Old After 10 Years of Care

Sentenced to 3 and 7 Years in Prison

The prison sentences for a husband and son who, after caring for a family member for 10 years, ultimately killed her after she repeatedly said, "I'd rather die than go to a nursing home," have been finalized.

Supreme Court, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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On May 20, the Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice Lee Heung-gu) dismissed the appeals of husband A and son B, who had been indicted on charges of murder and parricide, and upheld the lower court's sentences of three years in prison for A and seven years for B.

The central issue in the trial was whether the defendants had committed the murder at the victim's earnest request or with her explicit consent. The defense argued that the victim had repeatedly stated, "I'd rather be killed than go to a nursing home," and that she had expressed a clear intention, even requesting specific methods on the day of the crime.

However, both the first and second instance courts determined that the victim was in a definitive state of dementia with clear cognitive impairment, making it impossible for her to genuinely request or consent to being killed. The courts also cited as evidence the transcript from the car's black box recording after the crime, which showed that the victim was killed against her will and that the defendants expressed remorse, further supporting their guilt.

The Supreme Court likewise ruled, "There was no misunderstanding of legal principles regarding the establishment of the crimes of murder and parricide in the lower court's guilty verdict," and rejected the appeal. In the initial trial, although the court acknowledged the gravity of the defendants' crimes, it also took into account their sacrifice in caring for the immobile victim for over a decade and the painful circumstances, sentencing husband A to three years in prison and son B to seven years. The appellate court also dismissed both the defendants' and the prosecution's appeals, stating, "Human life is of absolute value, and this is a heinous crime deserving of severe condemnation."

A, who is in his 80s, and B, in his 40s, had been caring for the victim—who was immobile due to a cerebral hemorrhage and Alzheimer's diagnosis—since 2014, for more than 10 years. However, after falling into financial ruin and hearing the victim repeatedly plead, "I'd rather die than go to a nursing home," they ultimately conspired to kill her. In March last year, B gave the victim sleeping pills and tried to strangle her with his hands. When she did not die, A handed B an extension cord, which B used to strangle her to death.

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