Gowun Park, a 41-year-old assistant economics professor at Simpson College in Iowa, allegedly bound and gagged her husband for hours until his death. According to the Des Moines Register, the teacher bound husband Sung Woo Nam’s hands and feet with zip ties and tied him to a chair. She then stuffed an item of clothing in his mouth and wrapped duct tape around his head.
She faces charges of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
Nam was reportedly found hours later with ligature marks on his neck and throat. After being transported to the local hospital, Nam was pronounced dead.
“Ms. Park made efforts to hide and conceal the binding items prior to the arrival of emergency personnel,” a criminal complaint read. “The injuries sustained by Mr. Nam were not self-inflicted.”
From the report:
Park stuffed “an item of clothing” in Nam’s mouth to prevent him from yelling and placed duct tape over his mouth, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dallas County district court. She then duct-taped a towel over his head, covering his eyes, court records show. Around 5:05 p.m., Nam was in distress and asked to be untied, but Park did not free him, the complaint states. West Des Moines police officers were called to the home at 6:47 p.m. and found Nam unresponsive and with ligature marks on the front of his neck and throat.
Simpson interim President Bob Lane acknowledged the situation in an email to students and faculty, according to the school’s student newspaper The Simpsonian.
“The investigation is ongoing, and police have informed us there is no threat or any link to the campus community,” Lane said. “The college is monitoring the situation and will cooperate with authorities in their investigation.”
Our deepest condolences go out to Nam’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.