Another top microbiologist slain

[Guest guest]

Squad seeks tips in death of researcher

http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps/microbiologist_slain.htm

Columbia Daily Tribune | January 9, 2005

By MIKE WELLS

 

Flashback:

Dr David Kelly head of Porton Down Bio-weapons lab in England Dies

Mysteriously

 

A retired research assistant professor at the University of

Missouri-Columbia died of multiple stab wounds before firefighters found in

his body in the trunk of a burning car Friday.

 

Boone County Medical Examiner Valerie Rao said after an autopsy that Jeong

H. Im, 72, of Columbia was stabbed several times, but she declined to

elaborate.

 

MU police yesterday named Im as the victim. His body was found in the trunk

of his burning white, 1995 Honda inside the Maryland Avenue parking garage,

MU police Capt. Brian Weimer said.

 

The case was under investigation by the Mid-Missouri Major Case Squad. No

arrests had been made by last night.

 

Weimer spoke to reporters at a news conference yesterday in Jesse Hall but

declined to discuss details such as whether a murder weapon was recovered or

the cause of the fire.

 

Rao also was cautious about discussing the investigation. Regarding

questions on the estimated time of death, the number of wounds, the type of

weapon or the fire, she said, " We don't want to release any of that

information because it's so crucial to what the police are doing. "

 

Police yesterday hadn't ruled out robbery as a motive.

 

" All possibilities are being looked at right now, " Weimer said.

 

Im was primarily a protein chemist. Mark McIntosh, chairman of the MU

department of molecular microbiology and immunology, said he doubted the

crime could have been the act of an angry student.

 

" He's a 72-year-old and pretty much keeps to himself, and so I can't imagine

that it was anything more than some random act, " he said.

 

Police were trying to find an unknown person who used a campus emergency

phone to report the fire, Weimer said. Police want that person to contact

them again.

 

Weimer also asked the public for help in identifying a man - 6 feet to 6

feet, 2 inches tall - who was seen in the garage area wearing some type of

mask, possibly a drywall or painter's mask.

 

That individual is a " person of interest, " Weimer said, and not a suspect.

 

" There could be a valid reason for someone like this to be in the garage, "

he said.

 

At about 6 p.m. Friday, MU Police Chief Jack Watring activated the major

case squad. It's the first homicide investigation on the campus in nearly 16

years. The request drew in 28 squad members from various law enforcement

agencies, including the Columbia Police Department and the Missouri State

Highway Patrol.

 

Im's wife, Tesuk Im, declined comment yesterday when contacted at her

Columbia home.

 

The parking garage serves employees of MU and University of Missouri Health

Care as well as employees of and visitors to the Mid-Missouri Mental Health

Center.

 

Weimer said investigators were still trying to determine the timeframe for

the crime. Anyone who was in or near the garage from early morning to

afternoon Friday has been asked to call MU police at 882-7203 or

CrimeStoppers at 875-8477.

 

" By all means, let us sort it out, " he said. " Please, give us a call and let

us know what you saw. "

 

Tribune reporter Megan Means contributed to this report.