Jeong Jae-hwan is seen covered in blood at a nearby convenience store shortly after the killing (left), alongside a photo released by police. [Provided by victim's family/Police]
Jeong Jae-hwan is seen covered in blood at a nearby convenience store shortly after the killing (left), alongside a photo released by police. [Provided by victim's family/Police]

Jeong Jae-hwan, 24, accused of brutally killing a middle school classmate in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, was trying to retrieve a Rolex watch right up until the moment police arrested him, it has emerged.

According to Newsis and other outlets, a friend identified as B arrived at Jeong's home in Gyeongsan at around 4:35 a.m. on the day of the incident, having rushed over from Daegu after receiving a call from the victim. Police had not yet arrived at the scene.

B said Jeong asked him to deliver a Rolex watch and 20 million won ($13,600) in cash from a car to Jeong's mother.

"He said, 'You're the only one I can ask,' and told me to hand the watch and the cash to his mother," B said, recounting the situation.

B also said he tried to stop Jeong from re-entering the room to preserve the crime scene, but was unable to block him because Jeong was naked and there was nothing to grab hold of.

"Jeong came out of the master bedroom with the Rolex watch, walked past the victim's body, and slipped on a pool of blood on the living room floor," B said. "After that, he kept trying to hand me the watch."

B said that after taking the watch from Jeong, he apparently threw it onto the hallway floor in the chaos of helping police subdue Jeong after officers arrived.

A few days after the incident, B received a phone call from Jeong's mother.

"She said, 'Where did the Rolex go? If you had hidden it somewhere, we could have sold it,'" B said.

Details also emerged about Jeong re-entering the crime scene shortly after the killing.

B said that at around 4:40 a.m. that morning, he and two other friends encountered Jeong inside the house.

The group restrained Jeong and demanded to know why he had committed the act. Jeong called out the victim's name, shed tears and said he was sorry — but then abruptly stopped crying, said he needed to get the watch, shoved B and the others aside, and went back inside, according to B.

Meanwhile, neither Jeong nor his parents visited the funeral home during the four days leading up to the victim's burial.

"Jeong's mother did say, 'How is the victim's mother doing?' and 'I apologize on his behalf,' but it felt like a hollow gesture," B said. "If she had truly meant to apologize, she should have come to the funeral as a parent — but she never showed up."


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com