A woman, who was found malnourished and beaten in a car trunk in Georgia, was also burned and wrapped in a blanket by suspects who identified themselves as “Soldiers of Christ,” according to court documents. Five adults, along with one 15-year-old, are facing charges including felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and concealing the death of another. The suspects are also facing multiple felony street gang charges.
The victim, a South Korean woman in her 20s or 30s, had come to the U.S. during the summer to join a religious group. She was discovered in a car trunk outside a Korean spa in Duluth. The individuals charged in connection with the crime include Eric Hyun, Gawom Lee, Joonho Lee, Juoonhyum Lee, and Hyunji Lee. They claimed to belong to the “Soldiers of Christ” group. Several of the suspects are siblings.
Arrest warrants reveal that the woman had been starved and beaten for several weeks, with the torture allegedly beginning in early August. The exact time of her death remains unclear. The crime is believed to have occurred in the basement of a home in unincorporated Lawrenceville, which is associated with Eric Hyun.
A neighbor described the residents of the home as “standoffish” and stated that they kept to themselves. The neighbor also mentioned that a large number of law enforcement officers were present at the suspects’ home for an extended period of time. They expressed their uneasiness and emphasized the importance of not knowing what goes on behind closed doors.