Man accused of killing 3 family members attends arrest warrant hearing
A man accused of killing his three family members by driving their car into the sea is escorted to an arrest warrant hearing at the Gwangju District Court in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province, Wednesday. Yonhap
A local court held an arrest warrant hearing Wednesday for a man in his 40s accused of killing his three family members by driving their car into the sea.
The hearing for the suspect, identified only by his surname Ji, was held at the Gwangju District Court in the city, some 270 kilometers south of Seoul, at 11 a.m.
Upon leaving the detention center of the Gwangju Bukbu Police Station, the 49-year-old refused to answer reporters' questions asking if he pleaded guilty to the charges or if he felt sorry for his sons.
The man is accused of intentionally driving his family's car into the sea Sunday, killing his wife, also 49, and their two high school-aged sons. Police suspect he escaped from the submerged vehicle alone without making any effort to rescue the others.
Police recovered their bodies from the submerged vehicle near the Jindo port, about 350 km south of Seoul.
Ji, who was a construction worker, testified to police that he tried to commit suicide with his family due to financial difficulties stemming from his 160 million-won ($116,379) debt.
Police have requested the National Forensic Service to conduct an autopsy into the victims' bodies.
The court is expected to decide whether to issue the warrant later in the day.