DULUTH, Ga. — A South Korean woman’s remains were found in a car parked outside a spa in Duluth, Georgia on Tuesday, leading to the arrest of six individuals. Authorities suspect the woman was subjected to severe abuse and starvation after she joined a religious group in the U.S.
The woman, whose identity is being withheld pending notification of her family in South Korea, was found in the trunk of a silver Jaguar parked outside Jeju Sauna, a well-known Korean spa in Duluth. The discovery was made late Tuesday night, according to the Gwinnett County Police Department.
The woman reportedly arrived in the U.S. from South Korea during the summer. Authorities believe she endured physical abuse and malnutrition until her death. The six individuals arrested in connection with her death all resided in the same house, with some of them being related. Among those arrested is a 15-year-old minor. All but one of the suspects are U.S. citizens.
The police warrant indicates that the suspects initially hid the woman’s body at their residence before wrapping her remains in a blanket and placing them in the car trunk. Authorities estimate that she likely died in August and her body had been in the vehicle for several days before being discovered. Her remains weighed a mere 70 pounds at the time of discovery.
The Medical Examiner’s Office suggests that malnutrition may have played a role in her death, although the exact cause is still under investigation. Blood was also found in the basement of the house where the suspects lived, according to police reports. Police are continuing the investigation. The motive of this horrific crime is still unclear.