http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 4902&rfi=6

08/24/2006
Ex Boyfriend Admits Setting Woman On Fire
by Liz Rhoades , Managing Editor

A Flushing man, disfigured by the fire he set to kill his ex girlfriend and himself in 2003, admitted his guilt last week in Queens Supreme Court.

Sung Chul Jo, 49, of 189th Street, pleaded guilty to the murder suicide attempt that left his former girlfriend, Mi Ran Bae, 45, dead. Judge Robert Hanophy will sentence him to 15 years to life in prison on Sept. 13.

Jo, a construction worker who is believed to be an illegal immigrant, is expected to be deported following his prison term.

According to police, on a July morning three years ago, Chul followed Bae and her 10 year old son Solomon in his van to a day camp run by a Presbyterian Church on Northern Boulevard. After she dropped off her son, she was confronted by Jo, who argued with her.

Witnesses said he then struck her on the face, doused her with gasoline from a two gallon bucket he was carrying and set her on fire with a cigarette lighter. He then grabbed Bae, setting himself on fire, as the two fell to the ground.

The entire incident was witnessed by Bae’s son before he was rushed into the church. District Attorney Richard Brown said that by Jo pleading guilty, it spared Solomon “from the trauma of having to relive the day he witnessed the dreadful death of his beloved mother.”

During the attack, Jo was heard saying, “I love you and I wanted to live with you and I wanted to die with you.” A passer by attempted to put out the flames on both of them with a tarpaulin.

The victim was able to run into the nearby 7 Eleven store, where her head was doused with water. Her shirt was burned off her body and her face and head charred.

Bae suffered second and third degree burns over 40 percent of her body plus inhalation burns to the lungs. She died 10 days later. Jo suffered second and third degree burns over 65 percent of his body and inhalation burns. He has had 16 operations since the incident and needs additional skin grafts.

The perpetrator lost his fingers, ears and lips in the blaze and will require medical care in prison.

Police say that Jo moved in with Bae in February 2003 and the couple constantly quarreled about his drinking. Bae wanted him to return to Korea.

Bae, who was known as Jackie or Cindy, worked as a nail salon manager. She had lived in Flushing for over seven years. It is believed her son has since moved in with relatives in California.

The fiery attack left passers by shocked. Several good Samaritans came forward to help the victim. One passing motorist, Hector Hernandez, stopped his car, ran into the convenience store, got a bucket of water and extinguished the still burning Bae. Another unidentified man was credited with first dousing the flames with the tarp from his truck.