Police in Lacey, Washington reported that a man abducted his estranged wife and buried her alive in the thick forests of Lacey on Sunday morning. The woman was eventually able to free herself from the shallow grave and crawl her way out of it.
When the woman escaped from the area, she ran frantically through the forest until she was able to find a house in the distance. In response to a woman approaching the door of the home, the owner called the police and informed them of the woman’s presence on the property. The caller described how she was screaming and crying that her husband was trying to kill her.
At the time of the deputy’s arrival, the woman was hiding behind a shed.
After realizing that the deputy was law enforcement, the woman screamed for assistance as she ran toward him.
The woman said, “My husband is trying to kill me.” She asked, “Please help me.”
As the deputy observed, the woman had duct tape on her neck, lower face, and ankles.
Besides being distressed, the deputy noted that the victim was traumatized and had difficulty recalling what had taken place.
As she recounts it, Chae An kidnapped her and tied her wrists, hands, and ankles with duct tape before driving her to the woods.
Before the kidnapping, the woman argued with her husband over money and an impending divorce.
She claims that her husband punched her several times in the head, causing her to fall to the ground.
She reported that Chae An taped her hands behind her back as well as covered her eyes, thighs, and ankles with duct tape.
It has been reported that she used her Apple watch to call 911 but was unable to communicate with them. After seeing her Apple watch, Chae An destroyed it with a hammer.
According to the victim, her husband dragged her body down the hall, the stairs, and the front of the garage door. From what she recalls, she was thrown into a van and driven around.
According to her, she was taken from the van and placed on the ground, where Chae An could be heard digging in the soil.
After being stabbed in the chest with a sharp object, the woman said, she was put into the hole that Chae An had dug. His next step was to place a heavy tree on top of her and to cover her with dirt.
Despite being able to wiggle to prevent dirt from entering her face, she had difficulty breathing.
She remained in the grave for a few hours and eventually managed to free herself by wiggling her body.
After escaping, it was dark, and she noticed that the van was still there. It was steaming from the windows while the light was on.
Law enforcement officials eventually located the area in which she was buried. They discovered duct tape in the loose soil surrounding the hole.
A citizen walking along a trail found Chae’s vehicle about 200 yards off Stedman Road at 7:38 a.m. Police from Lacey and deputies from Thurston County responded to the scene as quickly as possible.
At 8:02 a.m., Chae was arrested.