▲ A rape and murder suspect, surnamed Choi (C), is escorted out of a police station on Aug. 19, 2023, to attend an arrest warrant hearing. (Yonhap)

rape victim-autopsy

Autopsy suggests rape victim died from strangulation

SEOUL, Aug. 22 (Yonhap) -- The victim of last week's fatal sexual assault on a hiking trail in Seoul appears to have died from strangulation, police said Tuesday, citing a tentative autopsy result from the National Forensic Service (NFS).

The victim, known only as a female elementary school teacher in her 30s, was seriously injured while being sexually assaulted, allegedly by a 30-year-old man, surnamed Choi, on the hillside trail in Seoul's southern district of Sillim last Thursday and died at a hospital two days later.

Choi, who reportedly beat the victim on the head repeatedly with brass knuckles on both hands with the intention of raping her, has been put under arrest.

The NFS conducted the autopsy Monday and tentatively concluded that the victim is believed to have died after being strangled and losing consciousness, according to the police.

Bleeding was spotted directly below her scalp, but the NFS said it is difficult to see a cerebral hemorrhage as the direct cause of her death. The police said the final autopsy results will come out later.

Choi has denied his intention to kill the victim, but police said the possibility that Choi's charges of rape and murder will be acknowledged has increased due to the tentative autopsy result.

The victim's funeral is set to be held later Tuesday. The police plan to decide whether to disclose Choi's identity and mug shot after a relevant committee meeting Wednesday.

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