There may have been several more murders committed by Yoo Young-chul, the deadliest serial killer this country has ever seen to date.
Initially, he'd been suspected of taking at least 19 lives over a course of less than a year but as investigation picks up steam, officials say the number of innocent victims could reach as high as 26.
The suspected serial killer, Yoo Young-chul confessed to police that he had murdered 26 individuals. That's several more than the 19 that authorities had earlier disclosed.
"We believe there are more victims in addition to the 19 confirmed so far, so we are expanding our investigation.
Police suspect that more bodies will be found in the coming days throughout the country.
In the initial stages of investigation, the 34-year-old accused serial killer confessed to killing a street vendor in Incheon, west of Seoul, by slashing the man's wrist and admitted to additional murders in Busan.
He also told investigators that one victim was just a random woman getting off a taxi. In this case, the woman did not match his usual group of victims who were mostly well-to-do elderly or women working as masseuses.
Reports indicate that the man suffers from epilepsy and had apparently committed the murders out of his hatred for women and the rich, the very people he blamed for his hardships in life.
His wife who filed for divorce two years ago, while he was imprisoned for theft apparently triggered Yoo’s hatred toward women.
Records show Yoo has been convicted on 14 separate counts of robbery and rape since high school.
Police officials plan to conduct on-the-spot inspections at the scenes of crimes.
Yoo is expected to face 19 homicide charges, along with charges of fraud, robbery and abandonment of a dead body.
Arirang TV
