A 65-year-old woman from California has been taken into custody on suspicion of murder after allegedly killing her husband with a flagpole, according to SF Gate.
On September 4, deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of unknown trouble at The Enclave, a luxury condominium complex. Upon arrival, they found an individual suffering from traumatic injuries consistent with a physical assault; the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Vicky Kyung Mi Kim was arrested on suspicion of murder. Her victim was her spouse, SF Gate reported.
Court documents indicate her bail has been set at $10 million.
The circumstances leading up to the fatal incident remain unclear, though court records show Kim had a documented history of domestic violence.
In January, she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of battery against a spouse or cohabitant and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, stemming from a separate incident. Kim also entered a guilty plea for violating a protective order.
According to KESQ News Channel 3, the couple had previously argued over financial issues and allegations of infidelity.
Molly Smith, spokesperson for the Riverside County District Attorney’s office, spoke to SF Gate about Kim’s legal history: “In January of this year, our office charged Ms. Kim with a felony, obtained criminal protective orders, and intended to aggressively prosecute her for her crimes against her husband.”
Smith further elaborated on Kim’s record in a statement obtained by KESQ: “Despite our office’s clear objections, a judge resolved all of the defendant’s cases as misdemeanors, released her from custody, and terminated all protective orders that prosecutors worked hard to obtain.”
The judge involved could not be immediately identified for comment.
