A son-in-law who murdered his father-in-law after being asked to move out has been sentenced to a heavy prison term in the first trial.

The 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo In-sung) sentenced the 40-year-old defendant, surnamed A, to 20 years in prison on charges including patricide.

The court found A guilty of strangling his father-in-law and slamming his head against a bed on the second floor of a house in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu, on the morning of April 24, resulting in his death.

Considering the extent of the fractures and bleeding found on the victim's body, the court determined that A had the intent to kill.

The court also based its decision on the fact that if A lacked the intent to kill as he claimed, it would have been normal to attempt CPR or call emergency services after the crime, yet he failed to take any rescue measures.

However, the court explained that the murder was not premeditated, noting that A had not prepared to dispose of the body in advance.

Regarding the sentencing, the court reprimanded the defendant, stating, "Instead of feeling remorse after confirming the victim's death, the defendant took the victim's credit card, withdrew money to pay off debts, and used it for living expenses in a deeply shameless manner."

Investigations revealed that A committed the crime after being ordered to move out because he had unauthorizedly withdrawn and used cash from the account of his father-in-law, with whom he lived in the same house.

The father-in-law had filed an eviction lawsuit against A's family, who were living on the first floor of the house, and the court had ordered them to move out by June of this year.

(Photo: Yonhap News)