Korean-American man arrested for corpse abuse after mother’s body found in car

A Korean-American man was arrested in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, for allegedly damaging and abandoning his mother’s corpse in a vehicle. The incident has shocked the local community and raised questions about possible mental health issues.

Body found in car following report of erratic behavior

The Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department and the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of Kevin Hyun Ahn, 31, on March 26. He faces charges of abuse of a corpse.

Authorities discovered the body of Hyun Ahn, 61, Kevin’s mother, in the back seat of her Toyota RAV4 on March 24. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police arrested Ahn the same day. He remains in custody without bail.

According to the Lancaster County Coroner, the victim died of strangulation and also suffered traumatic brain injuries. Investigators are continuing to examine Ahn’s possible involvement in the cause of death.

Handwritten note, argument preceded discovery

The case began around 3 p.m. on March 24, when police responded to a report of suspicious behavior near a residence on Fruitville Pike in Penn Township. The caller, identified as Ahn’s sister, alerted authorities after an argument with Ahn. Detective Theresa Stauffer declined to specify whether the caller was his older or younger sister.

Before police arrived, Ahn reportedly left the scene in his mother’s vehicle. The sister told officers that a disturbing note was found on the car’s dashboard.

Local outlet WGAL News reported the note contained phrases such as: “Mother is in the car. I’m sorry. Please hold a funeral. My brain is broken. Mother lied to me. She gave me fake money. I am not sane. Forgive me. Contact my sister.”

Police find body, suspect flees

Roughly 30 minutes after the initial call, Ahn returned to the residence. The caller and her husband then noticed an unconscious person in the back seat of the vehicle, partially concealed by clothes and household items. When confronted, Ahn fled the scene on foot.

Emergency personnel and police responded again and discovered the deceased woman, later identified as Ahn’s mother. Her face had turned purple, and she showed visible signs of neck compression and facial bruising.

Ahn was later found approximately half a mile away, near East Ferdinand Street in Manheim, and was taken into custody without incident.

Further charges possible

Ahn is currently held at Lancaster County Prison. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 1 at the Ephrata District Court, presided over by Judge Torrey Landis.

Prosecutors stated that while Ahn is currently only charged with corpse abuse, additional charges could follow pending autopsy results.

Investigators added that Ahn had been living transiently and may have been mentally unstable at the time of the incident. Authorities are considering a psychological evaluation as the case proceeds.

By Kyeongjun Kim   [kim.kyeongjun@koreadaily.com]