School Friend of Victim Faces Trial in Triple Slaying

Jae Whan (Peter) Chung and Tony Kim were good friends. As classmates at Temple City High School, they often ate lunch together and shared an enthusiasm for sports. Chung was an emerging star on the swim team; Kim played football.

Chung was buried Wednesday afternoon, and Kim was being held in Central Juvenile Hall, accused of beating his friend to death with a hammer during a dispute over some football pads.

“This is defintely the worst thing that’s ever happened to Temple City,” said Ed Mohr, who knew both boys and has coached at the school for 29 years.

Kim, 17, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that he murdered Chung, Chung’s 14-year-old-brother, Jae Hung (John) Chung, and the boys’ grandmother, Boc Sil Kim, 58, in their Temple City home.

Dressed in a T-shirt and dungarees, Kim stood silently at his arraignment in Pasadena Juvenile Court as Judge Eric E. Younger read the charges. Kim’s attorney, Public Defender Steven Edward Kaplan, entered the not guilty plea for his client and a hearing was set for Sept. 17 to determine whether the youth will be tried as adult or a juvenile. Younger scheduled Sept. 19 as a trial date if Kim is tried as a juvenile.

Juvenile Court proceedings normally are closed to the public, but because of the nature of the crimes, Younger ruled that the hearing be opened.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Mitchel J. Harris said he will ask to have Kim tried as an adult because of the seriousness of the charges. Meanwhile, Kim was ordered held withhout bail.

Harris said in an interview that Kim and Chung had been feuding over football pads Kim had loaned to his friend. A confrontation arose when he went to Chung’s Ardendale Avenue house last Thursday morning to recover them, Harris said.

“It escalated and he took a hammer to his (Chung’s) head,” Harris said, adding that Kim then killed Chung’s grandmother and, eventually, Chung’s younger brother. Their bodies were discovered late Thursday evening by the boys’ parents.

The killings stunned residents on the usually peaceful street lined with well-manicured lawns and neat stucco houses.

“This is generally a very quiet neighborhood,” said Lester McConnell, adding that the Chungs had lived next door about two years. “People all up and down the street are generally very decent people.”

Kim was arrested at his home early Friday and booked on suspicion of murder after a witness reported seeing a blue van owned by Kim’s father parked near the Chung residence for several hours, Sheriff’s Detective Bill Gaynor said. Investigators are looking for the murder weapon and other evidence, but no other suspect is being sought, Gaynor said.

Friends and school officials said Kim and the older Chung boy were quiet and polite and had no history of trouble. Reaction to the killings ranged from disbelief to sadness.

“Tony Kim was very quiet, genteel,” Mohr said. “He was always where he was supposed to be, always on time. He was disciplined and he did what he’s told. The crime doesn’t fit the kid.”

“We thought it was a joke or something,” said classmate Eric Hildreth, describing his response to news of his friend’s death.

Said schoolmate Bruce Costantino: “Everybody’s down about it.”

Kim was attending summer school and weight training sessions to prepare for the football season. He had anticipated becoming a starting defensive back, said Mohr, who coaches football and swimming. Peter Chung was working part time in an ice cream store and helping to coach younger members of the diving team, Mohr said.

Those interviewed said they were unaware of any rift between Chung and Kim.

The two families apparently knew each other well. Chung’s registration card listed the Kim’s phone number to call in an emergency if a family member was unavailable, a school official said.

Jim Kim confirmed that his brother and Peter Chung were friends, adding that Tony Kim held Chung’s grandmother in especially high regard. Jim Kim said he and his family believe his brother is innocent.

“Tony had a lot of friends and no one believes it,” Jim Kim said. “Sooner or later the truth will come out. We hope the suspect is caught and gets the death penalty.”

Ed Kim said of his son through an interpreter, “My son is not a murderer. My son has a soft heart.”