A 23-year-old crime show fan in South Korea has been sentenced to life in prison after confessing to police that she killed a stranger simply "out of curiosity."
Jung Yoo-Jung, a fan of crime shows and novels, displayed a fascination with the idea of committing murder. According to a report published by BBC, she arranged to meet an English-language teacher using a mobile app and ultimately stabbed her to death at her residence in May.
Police noted her high scores on psychopath tests, highlighting the alarming influence of true crime content on her actions.
Before carrying out the crime, Jung Yoo-jung reached out to more than 50 individuals, mostly women, inquiring if they take classes at home. In May, she approached a 26-year-old victim residing in the southeastern city of Busan. Pretending to be the mother of a high school student seeking English lessons, she contacted the tutor. The police have not disclosed the victim's identity.
Dressed in a school uniform she bought online, Jung later went to the tutor's residence, as per prosecutors. After being allowed in by the teacher, she launched a brutal attack, stabbing the woman over 100 times. Shockingly, she continued the frenzied assault even after the victim died. Subsequently, she cut the woman's body and, using a taxi, transported some of the remains to a remote parkland near a river north of Busan.
Police disclosed that Ms Jung's online search history indicated months of researching methods for committing murder and disposing of a body. Despite her meticulous planning, she exhibited carelessness by not taking precautions against CCTV cameras. These cameras documented her multiple entries and exits from the tutor's residence.
In June, Jung admitted to the crime and appealed for a less severe sentence than life imprisonment, citing hallucinations and other mental disorders during the incident. Nevertheless, the court rejected her plea, asserting that the crime was "carefully planned and carried out, and it is difficult to accept her claim of mental and physical disorder."
Jung's statements to the police underwent multiple changes. Initially, she said that she merely relocated the body after someone else committed the murder. Later, she altered her account, stating that the killing resulted from an argument. Eventually, she confessed that her fascination with crime shows and TV programs fueled her interest in committing the murder.
The prosecutors requested the court to punish Jung with the death penalty. Despite South Korea maintaining the death penalty, no executions have been carried out since 1997.
