"We'll Go to the Ends of the Earth": South Korean Arrested After 8 Years on the Run for Two Murders in the U.S.

Arrested in Laos After Inquiry About Travel Documents

A South Korean national who committed two murders in the United States and fled overseas has been arrested after eight years on the run.

The Asia Business Daily DB

According to Yonhap News on June 14, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as prosecutors and police from Santa Clara County and Orange County, California, announced that they had arrested a 31-year-old South Korean national, referred to as Mr. A, in Laos and extradited him to the United States on charges of committing two murders in 2016 and 2018.

Mr. A is accused of commissioning the murder of a man in San Jose, California, on June 27, 2016. However, the hitman hired for this task mistakenly shot and killed the wrong person, not the intended target. Mr. A is also accused of fatally shooting his friend, Mr. B, who was 26 at the time, during a dispute over money in Westminster, California, on September 5, 2018.

After committing these two violent crimes and fleeing overseas to evade authorities, Mr. A was finally apprehended by U.S. investigators due to an unexpected blunder. While staying in Laos after fleeing abroad, Mr. A visited the U.S. embassy to inquire about travel documents, which led to his capture.

There is no extradition treaty between the United States and Laos. However, the U.S. Department of State and the FBI were able to secure Mr. A's custody through cooperation with the Laotian government. Laotian authorities detained him on charges such as violating immigration laws before transferring him to the United States.

This is the first case in which a U.S. fugitive has been extradited from Laos to the United States. Mr. A, who was indicted in Santa Clara County, is expected to stand trial there before being transferred to Orange County for additional charges.

Todd Spitzer, District Attorney of Orange County, emphasized, "There are no borders to justice, so we will literally go to the ends of the earth to ensure justice is served," adding, "The arm of the law is long, and no country on Earth can shield you from justice."

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