Reward Offers Mount to Find Killer of Granada Hills Family

Police investigators, stumped by the mystery of who killed a Granada Hills family of four last month, got a boost Wednesday when proposals were made to offer $50,000 in rewards for the killer.

Councilman Hal Bernson introduced a motion asking the city to post a $25,000 reward to help solve the slayings of the Yoo family. Less than an hour later, a relative of the victims put up a $25,000 reward.

Hee Wan Yoo, 36, and his wife, Gyung Jin, 34, a couple who operated a dental lab in Koreatown, and their children, Pauline, 6, and Kenneth, 4, were killed in their home at 11552 Wish St. in Granada Hills on Nov. 19 or 20. All were killed with what investigators describe only as a sharp instrument.

Lt. Daniel J. Lang of the major crimes unit of the Los Angeles Police Department said during a news conference held by Bernson that the police investigation is “void of clues and information” about the crimes, including the motive.

“I wouldn’t say we’re at a dead end, but we’d welcome any information we can get,” Lang said.

Lang and Bernson appealed to the public to volunteer any information, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, about the family and its activities.

Lang said the city has Korean-speaking police officers who can receive tips from the Korean community, and he released a Police Department phone number that informants can call: 213-485-2531.

Bernson’s reward motion was scheduled to be voted on by the full council next week. The city reward would be available for 60 days.

Later Wednesday, Hee Yu, Hee Wan Yoo’s brother, announced that he was also offering an additional $25,000 reward.

Yu, who owns a print shop in Whittier, said he was satisfied with police efforts to solve the crime but also voiced some frustration. “Now it’s been 20 days, and they don’t have anything,” he said.