The head of the detective team investigating the apartment management office arson case in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, has been found dead, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances.
At around 4:30 PM yesterday (August 2), a police inspector in his 50s, identified as A, belonging to the detective division of the Gyeongsan Police Station, was found dead near a reservoir in Docheon-myeon, Changnyeong-gun, South Gyeongsang Province.
Police launched a search using mobile phone location tracking after receiving a report from family members that Inspector A could not be reached, but he was already dead when found.
No suicide note was found, and no criminal suspicions have been identified so far.
Inspector A had been leading the investigation as the head of the detective team for the Gyeongsan apartment management office arson case that occurred on July 23.
Police stated that the cause of Inspector A's death and its connection to the arson investigation have not been confirmed.
The Gyeongsan apartment management office arson is a case that occurred on the morning of July 23, when a man in his 70s, who was a resident of the apartment, sprinkled flammable substances on the management office and set fire to it, resulting in 3 deaths and 5 injuries, including the suspect himself.
Police are focusing their investigation on the possibility that the man in his 70s, who had long-standing conflicts with the management office regarding apartment operation issues, committed the arson with the intent of retaliation targeting management officials.
However, police have not yet secured key statements regarding the motive of the crime because it is difficult to conduct a face-to-face interrogation of the suspect, who is receiving treatment for full-body burns.
In addition, no decisive clues have emerged from the digital forensics of the mobile phone, so it is expected to take more time to clarify the core motive of the crime.
A police official said, "The Changnyeong Police Station is investigating the exact circumstances of the death."
Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Choi Gang-san | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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