A California murder suspect accused in two separate killings has been returned to the United States after allegedly spending nearly 10 years evading authorities in Laos, more than 8,000 miles away.
Myung Jin Kim, 31, was arrested in Laos in May and brought back to Los Angeles on Wednesday, where he is now expected to face murder charges tied to both California cases, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors allege Kim was behind a 2016 murder-for-hire scheme aimed at a man in San Jose. Investigators say the plot went wrong when the hired gun allegedly killed the wrong victim.
Authorities later said they found evidence indicating the shooting had been a targeted attack organized by Kim. By the time an arrest warrant was issued, however, he had already disappeared.
Two years later, after serving time on drug charges and while out on bail in Orange County, Kim is accused of killing again.
According to prosecutors, he fatally shot his friend, Christian Kim, outside a CVS in Westminster in 2018 during an argument over money.
Kim allegedly shot Christopher six times before fleeing the scene.
A murder warrant was issued, but authorities again couldn’t find him.
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As investigators dug deeper into the Westminster killing, they also tied Kim to the 2016 slaying, leading prosecutors to file additional charges including murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
In December, the manhunt for Kim finally came to an end when he was found in Laos. Officials began working with multiple agencies to bring him back for justice to be served.
In May, he was busted for using fraudulent travel documents and on June 9 he was flown back to LAX.
“Mr. Kim’s cowardly acts of violence finally caught up with him, despite being halfway across the globe,” Patrick Grandy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said.
San José Police Chief Paul Joseph said their detectives “never gave up on this case, and their persistence, combined with extraordinary support from our law enforcement partners, brought this suspect back to San José to face justice.”
“If you come to our city and commit murder or any other serious crime, we will track you down and arrest you,” Westminster Police Chief Darin Lenyi added.
“No matter how long it takes us or where you flee to, we are coming for you.”
Kim is currently in custody in Santa Clara County where he will face charges for the murder in the city. He will then be transported to Orange County to deal with murder charges suspected of slaying his friend.
Authorities said Kim marks the first time a wanted fugitive has been returned to the United States from Laos.
