Korean businessman killed

A Korean businessman was killed by an unidentified person or persons inside his store along Tanapag Avenue in Tanapag Sunday night.

The 65-year-old owner of New Star Market was found dead lying behind the cashier’s counter.

Although police declined to state at this time what caused the victim’s death, Department of Public Safety spokesman Eric David said the case has been classified as homicide/murder. This makes it the second homicide case in the CNMI this year.

David said medics responded to the scene and transported the victim to the Commonwealth Health Center where a doctor pronounced him dead at 1:08am yesterday.

David said an unidentified person had called DPS Sunday at 11:20pm about a man lying behind the counter of the New Star Market.

While officers were responding to the area, David said the DPS dispatcher informed all police units responding to the scene that the incident was reported as robbery.

When police officers arrived, they found the store’s glass entrance door slightly ajar. When an officer entered the establishment, he found the hallway in front of the cashier’s counter in disarray.

The lifeless body of the Korean man was seen lying behind the cashier’s counter. An officer checked the victim and determined he was no longer breathing and had no pulse.

The identity of victim is not being released until family members in South Korea are notified about his death.

David said the victim lived within the store’s premises; his immediate family members are currently residing in Korea. It was not clear whether the victim had employees.

“We are closely working with the Korean Association here on the island to get a hold of the family members in Korea,” he said.

David said information about the cause of the victim’s death or if he had any wounds would be released later when the investigation is done.

He said some customers had gone inside the store to buy items and saw the victim lying behind the counter so they ran to their house and called police.

David said detectives are still investigating whether robbery was the motive behind the attack. He has no information yet as to the weapon used.

The DPS spokesman said there are indications that the Korean struggled with the suspect or suspects.

As of yesterday, no one was arrested yet. Investigators were still at the store and its vicinity around noon yesterday. The crime scene is located a few blocks away from Tanapag Church. The store is surrounded by residential houses.

David appealed to the public to call detectives at 664-9045 to 55 or the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 234-7272 for any information about the crime.

Crime Stoppers offers up to $1,000 cash reward to anyone who could provide information leading to an arrest.

On Feb. 27, 2009, Ligardo N. Omisong, a Palauan man, was attacked by a man along a road in San Jose, Saipan. Omisong was taken to CHC where he was in coma for head injuries. On March 5 or six days after the attack, the victim passed away.