‘Church murder was planned’
Police say knife bought days before attack

Jeju police say they have evidence to show that the recent murder of a woman at a Catholic church was planned in advance.

50-year-old 천궈레이Chen Guorui from China confessed to buying the murder weapon from a retail store in Jeju City two days before the stabbing. Seobu Police Station officers say he also reportedly said he was looking for a woman who was physically weaker than himself.

(천) Chen is also reported to have said he was ordered to commit the crime through a microchip implanted inside his head. That claim has prompted investigators to look into the possibility of mental illness or to see if making such a claim is an attempt to mitigate his punishment.

Chen is accused of stabbing the 61-year-old woman Saturday morning while she was alone in the church. She was rushed to a nearby hospital after the attacker fled the scene, but she died Sunday. The suspect was arrested a few hours after the crime, some 40 kilometers from the scene.

Police say they will soon hand over the case to the prosecution.

"성당 살인사건 계획적, 범행 이틀전 흉기 구입"

성당에서 기도를 하고 있던 60대 여성에 대한 살인사건은 계획적인 범행으로 결론을 내렸습니다.

이 사건을 수사하고 있는 서부경찰서는 피의자인 중국인 50살 천궈레이씨가 범행 이틀 전에 제주시내 마트에서 흉기를 구입한후 상대적으로 힘이 약한 여성을 범행 대상으로 지목했다는 진술을 확보했다고 밝혔습니다.

특히 천 씨는 경찰조사에서 누군가 자신의 머리에 칩을 심어 조종하고 있다는 망상장애를 보였다며
이같은 진술이 형을 감경받기 위한 것인지 실제 질환이 있는지는 추가 조사가 필요하다고 설명했습니다.

경찰은 이번 사건을 계획적인 범행으로 결론내리고 내일쯤 사건 일체를 검찰에 넘기기로 했습니다.