Man in his 50s detained for stabbing, killing air conditioner installer over trash dispute

A man in his 50s has been detained after stabbing and killing an air conditioner installer during an argument over how to dispose of waste generated during the installation.

The Cheonan Dongnam Police Station said Monday it had detained the suspect, identified only as A, on murder charges.

A is accused of stabbing B, an installer in his 60s, with a bladed weapon at a multi-unit residential building in Bongmyeong-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, at around 2:40 p.m. Friday.

Investigators found that A and B had quarreled over what to do with debris left over from the installation work, and the dispute escalated into a physical altercation. A then attacked B with the weapon as B attempted to stop the job and leave.

Police arrested A on suspicion of attempted murder immediately after the incident, but upgraded the charge to murder and sought an arrest warrant after B died while receiving treatment at a hospital.

The Cheonan Branch of Daejeon District Court conducted a pre-warrant hearing for A on Monday and issued the arrest warrant, citing a risk of flight.