A man was arrested Thursday in connection with the murder of his wife, who was found dead in a burning San Marino home in January.
The suspect was identified as Yoon Lai, 62, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
On Jan. 6, San Marino fire crews responded to a burning home on the 2000 block of Lorain Road shortly before 10 a.m.
After the blaze was knocked down, fire crews made a gruesome discovery — the body of Irene Gaw-Lai, 56, was found inside. She was reportedly discovered in a back room with trauma to her upper body, according to the Pasadena Star News.
Lai had allegedly told authorities that he took their two sons to baseball practice that morning before returning to find their home on fire.
Following a months-long investigation, authorities identified Lai as a person of interest in his wife’s murder and he was arrested on July 3.
The victim was a doctor whose primary area of practice was endocrinology, according to the Medical Board of California. News of her death shocked her neighbors who said the upscale community was a generally safe and quiet part of town.
“It’s definitely not normal,” one neighbor told KTLA. “I’ve lived here all my life, and I can say this is not common at all. I think I’ve probably seen two big crimes happen in my 21 years of living here.”
No further details, including a possible motive, were released. Lai is being held on a no-bail warrant. The case will be presented to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call LASD’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
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