Accused killers of woman found in trunk had burned body, wrapped it in blanket, warrants say

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Four of six people arrested for the murder of a woman found dead in the trunk of a car made their first appearance Friday morning in Gwinnett County.

Police say the victim was killed after being lured here from South Korea to join a religious group.

Besides being accused of beating and starving the young woman -- who was only about 70 pounds -- warrants also now reveal that the victim’s body was burned, then wrapped up in a blanket, before being placed in the trunk of a car.

Three men, all brothers, and a fourth female family member made their first appearance in front of a judge at the Gwinnett County Jail Friday morning to hear the charges against them.

“You have tampering with evidence, that’s a felony. False imprisonment, that’s a felony. Felony murder and concealing the death of another,” the judge told the four.

On Friday afternoon, police announced that all of the suspects are now facing multiple criminal street gang charges.

One of the suspects said the family would get them a defense attorney.

Joonhyun Lee, Joonho Lee, Hyunji Lee, and Gawom Lee are all charged with the murder of a woman who came to Gwinnett County from South Korea.

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Police say she was lured here to join a religious group called the Soldiers of Christ.

Investigators say the abuse took place over weeks in the basement of this house on Stable Gate, where police photos block out blood on the floor and show hiking boots and pieces of wood along a wall.

Court documents reveal before being found this week dead in the trunk of a car, the victim’s body was burned and then wrapped in a blanket.

“She might have been deceased sometime late August, she may have been in the back of the vehicle for a few days,” said Cpl. Juan Madiedo with the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Police say a fifth suspect, Eric Hyun, is the one who drove and then left the car outside a popular Gwinnett County spa.

He’s been arrested and is facing the same charges but is still in the hospital from unrelated injuries.

“At this point, you have no bond,” the judge told the defendants.

The sixth suspect, Junyeoug Lee, faces the same serious charges but will be in juvenile court because he is only 15 years old.

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