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Second defendant pleads guilty in Quartz Hill murders

by The AV Times Staff • July 24, 2015

Steve Kwon (left) and Jai Shim (right) were taken into custody June 28, 2008, after Mexican police found them near the border and took them to the Douglas, Ariz., port of entry. (Images from Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, via Tucson.com.)
Steve Kwon (left) and Jai Shim (right) were taken into custody June 28, 2008, after Mexican police found them near the border and took them to the Douglas, Ariz., port of entry. (Images from Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, via Tucson.com.)

LOS ANGELES – Sentencing is set for Aug. 21 for two men who used a baseball bat and samurai sword to murder two men, a woman and her two children in a Quartz Hill home in 2008.

One of the defendants, Steve Kwon, 44, pleaded guilty Thursday as a jury was being picked for his trial. The other defendant, Jae Shim, 46, pleaded guilty Feb. 4.

Both men pleaded to the first-degree murders of Shim’s 34-year-old ex-wife, Jenny Young Park; her daughter, Jamie, 13; her 11-year-old son, Justin; her relative, Joseph Ciganek, 60; and her boyfriend, Si Young Yoon, 34.

Shim was set to testify against Kwon as part of his plea deal.

Shim also admitted the special circumstance allegations of lying in wait and multiple murders and that he personally used a samurai sword and baseball bat to stab and beat his ex-wife and the other victims to death in Ciganek’s home.

Both men also pleaded guilty to one count of arson of an inhabited structure.

The five victims were stabbed and bludgeoned to death on June 23, 2008. The two children, along with their mother, also were set on fire.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman with the Major Crimes Division said Shim became enraged that his ex-wife was recently engaged to Yoon.

Shim enlisted the help of Kwon, a lifelong friend from Korea, to murder the victims.

Ciganek’s wife was also an intended victim, but survived because she was not home when the crimes occurred.

As part of his plea agreement, Shim helped lead authorities to the remains of Yoon, whose body had been dumped in Mexico.

Shim faces five consecutive life terms without parole, but avoided a possible death sentence as a result of his plea. Kwon faces 125 years to life in prison.

–

Previous related story: Palmdale man pleads to murdering 5 people

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

8 comments for "Second defendant pleads guilty in Quartz Hill murders"

  1. Mike C says

    July 26, 2015 at 6:36 pm

    No kimchi but plenty of top ramen. They can also order seaweed in their quarterly packages. They won’t get to eat any of it though because they killed two innocent kids during their crime spree. The inmates don’t allow trash like this to live on their yards. Time to pay the piper boys.

  2. rogelio says

    July 25, 2015 at 9:33 am

    the saddest part is no kimchee in prison

    • Richie says

      July 26, 2015 at 12:51 am

      Actually you can order Kimchi from vendors for your quarterly packages. Basically can order anything besides females and drugs. He probably pled guilty to avoid death row being there wont be many koreans there, plenty in the level 4’s up state. Such a tragic loss of 5 lives nonetheless

  3. Johnny Trece says

    July 25, 2015 at 2:07 am

    Very gruesome incident, I must say.

  4. Tony says

    July 24, 2015 at 4:56 pm

    Ugly Mod@fkr’s!
    Another two animals off the streets, and another two that we are gonna feed for the rest of their lifes.
    Free rent, free food and free medical insurance!

    • Obamaboy says

      July 26, 2015 at 7:45 pm

      Well, medical insurance should be free.

      • Tony says

        July 27, 2015 at 6:25 pm

        Yes Obamaboy, medical cal insurance should be free but unfortunately is not, at least not for me, but this animals will get it for free for the rest of their miserable life.

        • Tim Scott says

          July 27, 2015 at 6:31 pm

          If it such a good deal quit whining about it and get yourself thrown in jail. Problem solved.

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