Auburn, WA: Medical examiner releases names of couple found dead in apartment

By SHAWN SKAGER
Auburn Reporter Sports Reporter
NOVEMBER 23, 2011 · 2:08 PM

The King County Medical Examiner has released the names of the couple found dead this past week in an apparent murder/suicide.

Auburn police found Eck Lee, 64, and his domestic partner, Pong Kim, 65, in their apartment in the 900 block of 12th Street Southeast on Nov. 15.

According to the medical examiner’s office, Lee’s cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging. His death was ruled a suicide.Kim’s cause of death waits upon the completion of a toxicology report, which could take up to three-months, an Auburn police spokesman said.

According to Auburn Police Commander Jamie Sidell, officers responded to the apartment after someone called 911 to report having seen a body inside the residence. Police arrived at 1 p.m., Nov. 15 and found the bodies.

Sidell said that the police are not looking for any suspects.

“A warrant was served, and we’ve collected our evidence,” Sidell said. “There are no suspects we’re looking for at this time. It appears to be a domestic incident. The couple had a domestic relationship – we don’t know if they were married – and there were no signs of an intruder.”

Sidell added that the police have no previous records of domestic incidents involving the couple.