Death of woman locked in walk-in freezer believed to be premeditated — and AI-assisted
Since finding the body on Sept. 3, the authorities have said that the suspect was involved in a gift certificate scam that prompted the victim's visit to the cafe.
A sign in front of a cafe in Paju, Gyeonggi, announces its temporary closure in a photo taken on Sept. 7.YONHAP
Police believe that the death of a woman found inside a walk-in freezer at a cafe in Paju, Gyeonggi, last week was premeditated.
Investigators found that the victim had visited the shop to complete a transaction for 50 billion won ($37.3 million) in gift certificates at around 11 a.m. on Sept. 3. After she discovered that the certificates were counterfeit, the cafe owner allegedly locked her in the freezer.
After a missing persons report was filed over the woman’s disappearance on Sept. 4, the police discovered her body the following day and arrested the owner.
An autopsy by the National Forensic Service found no external injuries on the woman's body in its preliminary findings. Investigators were unable to estimate the time of death because the body was frozen, but police believe the woman died from factors including hypothermia and oxygen deprivation after being confined in the freezer, which was kept at around minus 18 degrees Celsius (minus 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit) at the time and could not be opened from the inside.
After launching an investigation, the authorities found that the owner picked the woman up in a vehicle in Paju on the morning of the alleged crime and, while luring her to the freezer, told her to leave her phone outside. The suspect had the woman turn off her phone and leave it on the vehicle's dashboard, cutting off her ability to contact anyone outside.
The police also determined that the fake gift certificates stored in the freezer were printed by a company at the cafe owner's request, purportedly for use in filming. The certificates were marked "for filming" on the packaging.
The cafe owner, who has been detained since Sunday, allegedly planned to sell the certificates to a dealer who buys and sells large quantities of gift certificates for cash. Such transactions are typically conducted without the buyer and seller meeting directly, with a third party such as a broker — the victim’s presumed role — verifying whether the certificates are genuine and handling the payment.
A post from the cafe in Paju, Gyeonggi, announces that it would temporarily close on Sept. 3, the day of the alleged crime, and reopen on Sept. 4. Another post announces an indefinite closure starting Sept. 5.SCREEN CAPTURE
Early in the investigation, the cafe owner told police that there had been a dispute over a penalty related to a gift certificate transaction. He later claimed to have closed the freezer door impulsively after the woman discovered the gift certificates were fake.
The suspect has repeatedly changed his account of events and the motive behind the alleged crime, as well as the reason for renting and installing a giant freezer in August.
He initially said the freezer had been installed with murder in mind, but later claimed to have installed it because keeping the gift certificates there would make it harder for anyone to realize they were fake.
The suspect was also found to have visited the freezer several times around the time the woman was locked inside. Police believe he may have been trying to determine how the victim's condition would change after being confined in the freezer.
After investigating, however, the authorities believe that her death was premeditated.
The police said that the request to turn her phone off and leave it in the car is evidence of premeditation.
On Thursday, the police also said that the cafe owner was found to have asked a generative AI tool about what happens if a human is trapped in a freezer shortly after the alleged crime.
The authorities are continuing to analyze the alleged crime based on evidence including forensic data from the cafe owner's phone.
The Paju Police Station in Paju, GyeonggiYONHAP
A range of possibilities is being considered, as the cafe owner's alleged motive for killing the woman is difficult to reconcile with her limited role as an intermediary in the transaction. They are comparing the suspect’s statements with evidence gathered and looking into the transaction, including whether there was an actual buyer for the large quantity of gift certificates.
A man who drove the woman to Paju has also been booked on suspicion of forging securities. He has not been directly linked to the killing so far.
Investigators believe the cafe owner, together with three accomplices, lured the victim by using the sale of gift certificates as bait. Police are investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the case and whether anyone else was involved.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
