Woman found dead in trunk was lured to US to join religious organization, police say; 6 arrested

DULUTH, Ga. (Atlanta News First/Gray News) - Six people, including a 15-year-old, have been arrested in connection with a body found in the trunk of a car Tuesday night in Gwinnett County, Georgia, according to police.

Here is who was arrested and their charges, which WANF obtained through arrest warrants:

• Juoonhyum Lee, 22, was charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another.
• Joonho Lee, 26, was charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another.
• Hyunji Lee, 25, was charged with felony murder, false imprisonment and concealing the death of another.
• Gawom Lee, 26, was charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another.
• Eric Hyun, 26, was charged with felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another.
• The juvenile was charged with felony murder, concealing the death of another, tampering with evidence and false imprisonment.

Just before 11 p.m., officers responded to the parking lot of Jeju Sauna at 3555 Gwinnett Place Drive in unincorporated Duluth.

That day, Hyun reportedly parked a silver Jaguar containing the body in the sauna’s lot. Then he asked a family member to take him to the hospital for unrelated injuries. Later, he asked the relative to retrieve something for him in the vehicle — which is when the family member found the body and called 911, police said.

Police investigated and discovered the body in the trunk. In a news conference, police said the victim is a woman in her 20s to mid-30s. Her body had been in the car for at least a few days.

The woman was from South Korea and came to Georgia this summer to join a religious group called “Soldiers of Christ,” police said. The suspects reportedly kept her inside a house in unincorporated Lawrenceville, beating and malnourishing her in the basement for weeks. The body weighed 70 pounds when it was discovered, according to police.

She has not been identified because her next of kin in South Korea have not been notified of her death yet, police said.

Police also confirmed the sauna is not connected to the crime.

The investigation remains ongoing. If anyone has any information to share in this case, please contact GCPD detectives at (770) 513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive a cash reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.

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