A $50,000 reward is being offered for information in the brutal killing of an 81-year-old woman in her California home.
Ok Ja Kim’s body was found wedged under her bed on Aug. 2 after a fire in the 20800 block of West Martha Street in Woodland Hills. She had been stabbed, strangled and set on fire.
Investigators believe someone forced their way into the victim’s home, ransacked it and killed her.
“I think the public absolutely needs to understand the details of this crime. They need to understand that we are all vulnerable to a level of vulgarity and disgust that just exists in this world, and people need to act,” the victim’s daughter, Clara Kim, said during a news conference Thursday. “This could have been anyone’s family. This could have been your mom, this could have been your dad.”
Los Angeles police Detective Sharon Kim said it is unknown if the victim was followed home before the attack, and she is asking anyone who may have information or surveillance video to come forward.
“I have worked many years in homicide and even more than that investigating violent crime, and I can honestly say that in my entire career I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a senseless and brutal act of murder,” Detective Kim said.
Ok Ja Kim was retired and lived alone after her husband died last year.
Clara Kim described her mother as selfless and revealed that she has been “paralyzed” by her death.
“Still to this day we wake up and we think this is still a dream,” she said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Police Department at 818-374-1925. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
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