A 54-year-old Lacey man has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for trying to kill his estranged wife in 2022 by her burying her alive.
Chae Kyong An, 54, attended his sentencing hearing in Thurston County Superior Court on Monday, about a year-and-a-half after his arrest.
Judge Mary Sue Wilson sentenced An to 165 months in prison and three years of community custody for one count of second-degree attempted murder, domestic violence, according to court records. An admitted to the crime in a plea deal with prosecutors last month and the court's sentence follows that agreement.
"On October 16, 2022, in the County of Thurston, Washington, with the intent to cause the death of my wife Young Sook An, I took a substantial step towards the commission of the offense when I kidnapped her from our home, took her to the woods, assaulted her and placed her bound in a hole and covered her with branches," An stated when he pleaded guilty in court records.
The Olympian does not typically name victims of crimes, but Washington State Patrol previously identified Young An, then 42, in a widely shared missing person alert.
Court records describe a harrowing narrative of Young An being beaten in her Lacey home, bound in duct tape, stabbed and buried alive in a wooded area. Young Ann reportedly called 911 with her Apple Watch during the initial assault and later managed to escape from her bindings and the hole she was placed in.
A Sheriff's deputy found her at a home on the 9900 block of Stedman Road Southeast after residents called 911 in the early morning of Oct. 17, 2022, according to court records. She reportedly told law enforcement at the time that Chae An became violent after a discussion about their ongoing divorce.
Since then, deputy prosecutors reportedly met Young An many times to keep her up to date on the case.
"During these meetings, the State has seen Young An as her physical injuries have begun to heal, but the trauma of the attack, while unseen, remains ever present. Despite her ongoing trauma, Young An is a strong woman," Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth McMullen wrote in the State's sentencing memorandum.
The State's memorandum notes Young An wanted the matter to go to trial rather than see it resolved by a plea agreement.
"In reaching a resolution of this matter, the State significantly reduced both the charges and potential exposure for the defendant," the State's memorandum says.
Prosecutors initially charged Chae An with first-degree attempted murder, domestic violence, as well as first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault and felony harassment. He has no prior criminal history, according to court records.
In a memorandum to the court, Michael Austin Stewart, Chae An's defense attorney, said Chae An is a highly decorated military Intelligence warrant officer with more than three decades of military service.
He added An has a 100% disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs for injuries and illnesses related to his service, which included multiple combat deployments.
"Psychological testing by both the State and Defense agree that Mr. An was experiencing PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) related symptoms during the events of October 16, 2022," the memorandum says..
___
(c)2024 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)
Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
