Died a month before giving birth... Was the husband the murderer? "Husband's DNA found under wife's fingernails" [Sister-in-Law Talk 2]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Sister-in-Law Talk' Season 2 delves into the case of a pregnant woman who died just one month before her due date.

On the 7th, E Channel's original web variety show 'Sister-in-Law Talk' Season 2 (hereinafter 'Sister-in-Law Talk 2'), episode 52, will be released via the YouTube channel 'Talk of Detectives'. Guests include former Police Inspector Yoon Oe-chul, former detective Park Mi-ok, and Lee Ho (Prof.).

The case introduced that day began in January 2011 when a husband reported finding his wife collapsed in a bathtub at an officetel in Mapo-gu, Seoul. The wife was a 29-year-old English kindergarten teacher and was discovered in the bathtub wearing pajamas in an unusual posture. Notably, she was fully term, just one month away from giving birth, and had a lacerated wound on the back of her head along with subdural hemorrhages in five or more areas of her scalp.

The husband, who is a doctor, claimed his wife likely fell alone in the bathtub. However, an autopsy revealed the cause of death was asphyxiation due to neck compression, making it difficult to classify as a simple accident. During the investigation of statements from the bereaved family, fingernail marks were found on the husband's face and both arms. Additionally, a hoodie worn by the husband was discovered hidden atop a wardrobe, and forensic analysis detected bloodstains matching the wife's DNA. Furthermore, the husband's DNA was found under the wife's fingernails, and her bloodstains were also detected on the bedding, further intensifying suspicions.

However, the husband claimed the DNA under his fingernails resulted from the wife scratching his back the previous day and explained that the bloodstains on the hoodie were from the wife popping pimples or getting stained during daily activities. Nevertheless, he admitted to having a marital dispute, which further complicated the investigation.

The day before the wife's body was discovered coincided with the conclusion of the husband's first professional medical board examination. Given how difficult the exam reportedly was, speculation arose that the marital dispute might have been triggered by the stress of the test. At the time, CCTV footage from an elevator captured the two individuals with serious expressions.

On the day the body was found, the husband headed to the library earlier than usual. Despite it being the day after his exam, he had slept only about three hours before going to the library, raising further doubts. He also proactively called his mother-in-law, who rarely received calls from him, to inquire about times when he could reach his wife by phone. Meanwhile, he ignored calls from colleagues concerned about his wife's commute and consistently failed to respond. Regarding this, the husband claimed he had wrapped his mobile phone in a scarf around his neck and thus did not feel the vibration. Especially concerning was that his wife, who typically wore glasses or contact lenses and took great care preparing for outings, was found in pajamas, unshowered, at what appeared to be her usual time for getting ready to go to work.

As investigative focus increasingly shifted toward the husband, he maintained his claim of an accidental death and even requested the head of the Forensic Medicine Center at the University of Toronto as a witness. The full details of the case, which led to intense confrontations among forensic experts both domestically and internationally due to the husband's witness request, will be revealed in 'Sister-in-Law Talk 2'.

After hearing about the resolution of the case, Ahn Jung-hwan reportedly said, "It's great to have experts from various fields involved, as it allows us to hear more diverse perspectives on the case. I hope they continue appearing on 'Brave Detectives' as well."

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*This content was translated by AI.