6 'Soldiers Of Christ' Charged With Murder In Female's Duluth Death

Editor's Note: An initial aggregated version of this story was originally posted to reflect five people, including a 14-year-old, were charged in the case. This story has been updated with police details to say six people, including a 15-year-old, were charged.

DULUTH, GA — Six people have been arrested after the body of a female who was malnourished and beaten for weeks was found in a car trunk Tuesday in the 3500 block of Gwinnett Place Drive, Gwinnett County Police said Thursday.

Police identified those charged as Eric Hyun, 26, Joonhyum Lee, 22, Joonho Lee, 26, Hyunji Lee, 25, Gawom Lee, 26, and a 15-year-old juvenile. All but Hyun are from Lawrenceville. Hyun is from Suwanee.

Police said the accused group called themselves "Soldiers of Christ."

The defendants were charged on suspicion of false imprisonment, felony murder, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another, police said.

Police said the case is being investigated as a homicide.

The female who was found in the trunk has not yet been identified, pending next-of-kin notification. Police said the person's family lives in South Korea.

During the summer, police said the female had relocated to the U.S. from South Korea to join a religious organization. Police said the female had been beaten and was malnourished for weeks. She weighed about 70 pounds when detectives found her, police said.

Police said the female's body was discovered by Hyun's family member.

Hyun was accused of driving a silver car with the female's body in the trunk early Tuesday and parking it at Gwinnett Place Drive. He had called a family member to pick him up to take him to an Atlanta hospital for unrelated injuries, police said.

While at the hospital, police said Hyun asked the family member to retrieve an item from the car; and when the family member arrived at the car, he saw what appeared to be a dead body in the trunk. The family member then called 911 Tuesday evening.

Police then executed a search warrant in the 2400 block of Stable Gate in Lawrenceville, a home believed to be associated with Hyun, police said. The home is where police said they believe the crime took place.

The Medical Examiner’s Office believes malnourishment could be a contributing factor to the female's death. The exact cause of death is still being investigated, police said.

All defendants are currently in police custody, police said.