Amid growing suspicions surrounding the death of Jang Mi-ran, 37, whose body was discovered 104 days after she went missing in Jeju, her family has raised questions about the circumstances of her death, asking, "Is it possible to hang a rope from a thin palm tree trunk?"
According to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency on August 27, a forensic report from the National Forensic Service indicated that no unusual fractures were found in Jang's skull or neck bones.
However, the forensic service noted, "While no unusual fractures were found in the skull, neck, or torso, a fracture was discovered in the hyoid bone, which is a thin, horseshoe-shaped bone located in the middle of the front of the neck."
They added that the hyoid bone fracture could not be definitively linked to trauma or asphyxiation due to advanced decomposition and partial skeletalization, and it could have occurred during the post-mortem decomposition process.
Nevertheless, the family expressed skepticism about the police's interpretation.
In a statement to SBS, the family said they were informed by the police investigation team that the autopsy results suggested "it could only be a suicide," and they were told that Jang appeared to have hanged herself from a palm tree.
They further stated, "They said there is a bone in the neck that is already broken. This means it would inevitably break when hanging. It raises questions. The police suggest that she could have hung herself from a thin palm tree trunk, but how could she have tied a rope to do that?"
Regarding the position in which Jang was found, the family remarked, "Looking at the torso, there are parts that are firmly embedded like deep-rooted branches. They say she hung herself from there, but honestly, I still have doubts about that."
Jang's estimated time of death was early on May 13, the day after she went missing. Her body was found with her cellphone, and she was still wearing a gold bracelet, ring, and slippers. No suicide note was found, and there is no record of her receiving treatment for depression or taking related medication.
While the police currently view the evidence from the autopsy as indicating a low likelihood of foul play, they plan to conduct further investigations, including cellphone forensics and DNA analysis, to determine the exact circumstances of her death.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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