Youth, 17, Held in Slayings of 3 in Temple City Home

A 17-year-old youth was arrested early Friday in the bludgeon slayings of two teen-age brothers and their grandmother in their Temple City home, police said.

The youth, also a Temple City resident, was arrested at his home and booked on suspicion of murder in connection with the deaths Thursday night, Sheriff’s Deputy Dave Hogan said.

The suspect, whose name was withheld because he is a juvenile, was being held without bail at the Temple City Sheriff’s Station, Hogan said.

The bodies of Jae Whan (Peter) Chung, 17; Jae Hung (John) Chung, 14, and Boc Sil Kim, 58, were discovered shortly after 9 p.m. by the boys’ parents, who own a garment business in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, when they returned to their suburban home, Hogan said.

The suspect allegedly had been feuding with the two boys, Hogan said, but the reason for the rift was not made clear. Both the suspect and the victims are Korean.

Friends and neighbors of the Chungs said they were not aware of any feud or problems that might have provoked the killings.

“Peter was the average guy,” said Bruce Costantine, 15, who attended Temple City High School with Peter, a member of the swim team. “Nobody had anything against him.”

Bill Brod, assistant principal at Temple City High School, said the Chung brothers were good students and that he was not aware of any problems.

K. An Duk, a neighbor and fellow Korean who knew the family well, said, “They were just normal kids,” adding that Peter was quiet, while John was more gregarious.

Duk said that his mother-in-law often socialized with the boys’ grandmother during the two years the Chungs have lived on the block. “She was such a nice person,” Duk said. “She was in the house just the day before. She was always making some food and bringing it over.”

Hogan said the suspect apparently was admitted to the house that afternoon by the grandmother, who was unaware of the ill feelings among the youths.

The murder weapon had not been found by Friday afternoon, authorities said.