HOMICIDE
INVESTIGATION (Update 8):
The University of
Missouri Police Department (MUPD) continues to actively investigate
the homicide of Jeong H. Im, a professor at the University of
Missouri-Columbia. The homicide is believed to have occurred between
10:30 and 10:45 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2005 with an individual or
individuals returning to the scene between noon and 12:20 p.m. that
day to set fire to Im’s vehicle.
MUPD is releasing the
attached photo of the knife involved in the homicide. This photo is
being released in the hope that a person may have seen an individual
with this or this type of knife prior to or the day of the homicide.
Investigators are also
looking to identify the owner and/or driver of a faded red, 1980’s
model Ford F150 pickup truck with a faded black driver’s side
door, damaged front bumper, and rear driver’s side quarter
panel. The pickup truck had or has a light gray or tan camper shell
with tinted windows. It is important to remember that the camper
shell maybe removed at this time and the damage to the vehicle may
have been fixed.
The department
continues looking for people who may have seen the following person
of interest any time the day of the homicide and/or days prior to or
following the homicide. The department believes people may have seen
this person with or without the painter’s mask and/or gas can
just prior to or immediately following the incident. A complete
updated description is as follows:
The
person of interest is a slender white male, between 6 feet and 6 feet
2 inches in height, possibly wearing some type of painter's or
drywall mask in the area of Maryland Avenue garage on Jan. 7 during
the time frame of noon and 1 p.m. This person may have been wearing
baggy jeans that were faded blue, a hooded red sweatshirt with a blue
winter coat over the top of the sweatshirt. The coat was not a
fitted coat but went straight down to the person’s waist and
had a zipper on the front of the coat.
This
person was possibly seen without their hood and painter’s mask
on and was described as having had brown wavy or curly hair that is
medium length. This person may or may not have been carrying a red
gas can at the time people may have seen him.
It is important to
remember that people may have seen this person prior to or after in
the area with or without the gas can and/or painter’s mask.
The suspect in this
homicide may have had burns and/or cuts to their hand or hands after
this homicide. Anyone knowing a person who had burns to their hands
and/or cuts to their hands immediately after Jan. 7th or
has seen the above described vehicle or person of interest is asked
to call Sergeant Shawn Spalding at 573-882-5928 or a shift supervisor
at 573-882-7203.
The University of
Missouri-Columbia has raised the reward to $25,000 for information
leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects who committed the
Jan. 7 homicide of Jeong H. Im in the Maryland Avenue parking garage.
Phone calls should be directed to 573-882-7203 or, if a caller wishes
to remain anonymous, they may call Crime Stoppers at 573-875-TIPS.
Revenue generated from parking violations will fund the reward.
Updates will be posted as time permits at: http://www.mupolice.com/
MUPD
25-2005
Image has been scaled down. Click for full size image (364KB).
Knife Make: Old
Hickory, QN-758 with an 8 inch blade and 5 inch handle.
“Old Hickory”
trademark sign on the handle.
This knife would have
been produced between 1959 and 1984.
(65KB)