Victim in nail salon attack dies; suspect charged with murder

Authorities allege Kim attacked Dong with a baseball bat and knives.

Kim appeared in Benton County Circuit Court on Wednesday via videoconferencing from the Benton County Jail. Kim's attorney, Danielle O'Brien, entered not guilty pleas to the amended charges on his behalf.

Kim did not speak during the hearing. He appeared to be wearing an anti-suicide smock. Kim was released from jail Monday after his family assisted him in posting $67,500 in security, Chief Deputy District Attorney Ryan Joslin said. After his release, Kim attempted suicide at an Albany hotel and was taken to a hospital, Joslin said.

On Tuesday, Judge Locke Williams granted a request from Joslin to revoke Kim’s release for failing to appear at a court hearing that morning. According to police, Kim was arrested at 4:20 p.m. Tuesday at Samaritan Albany General Hospital. He was booked into the Benton County Jail.

Williams said Kim will be held in jail without bail. A pretrial release hearing in the case is set for Monday. Attorneys plan to discuss whether the security amount posted by Kim's family should be returned to them.

The judge ordered Kim not to have contact with his ex-wife, Anh Tram Gia Phan, who is also an alleged victim in the case. Kim also is not allowed to have contact with Dong's family. Williams said he would allow Kim's two kids to visit him in jail.

In addition to murder, Kim is charged with three counts of first-degree assault, four counts of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of pointing a firearm at another for the alleged attack on Dong.

Kim faces additional charges for alleged crimes against Phan, whom Dong was having a relationship with, according to court documents. Kim is charged with pointing a firearm at another, fourth-degree assault and recklessly endangering another person for allegedly assaulting Dong in front of Phan and causing her injury.