The Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) has identified the remains found in a suitcase in Jenkins County, Georgia, in 1988 as those belonging to 26-year-old Chong Un Kim. Kim, who had moved to the U.S. from Korea in 1981, was living in Hinesville, Liberty County, Georgia, before her death in 1988. The GBI was asked to assist in a death investigation after Kim’s body was discovered wrapped in plastic and duct tape inside a large suitcase in a dumpster near Millen, Georgia.
An autopsy revealed that Kim had been dead for approximately four to seven days and her cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. Throughout the investigation, Kim’s fingerprints, dental records, and a forensic artist’s sketch were compared to those of other missing individuals in the U.S. Both the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) opened cases and disseminated a computer-generated sketch of the victim.
Advancements in DNA technology prompted the GBI to resubmit evidence to their crime lab for additional testing. Although the DNA profiles were ineligible for submission into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the GBI sought assistance from Othram, Inc., a Texas-based company specializing in advanced DNA testing to solve cold cases. Through genealogical search, Othram was able to identify the remains as belonging to Chong Un Kim.
GBI recently contacted Kim’s family to inform them of the discovery. Investigators are urging anyone with information related to Kim or the case to contact the GBI or provide an anonymous tip. The GBI can be reached at 912-871-1121, and anonymous tips can be reported to 800-597-TIPS (8477).
This breakthrough in the decades-old cold case highlights the significant advancements in DNA technology and the tireless efforts of investigators to bring closure to families affected by unsolved crimes.
