California fugitive wanted for murders in Santa Clara, Orange counties captured in Laos, returned to U.S.

A South Korean national wanted for murders in Northern and Southern California in 2016 and 2018 was located in Laos and extradited back to the U.S. this week, authorities announced Friday.

Myung Jin Kim, 31, was captured by Laotian authorities last month and flown to Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday. He was booked into the Anaheim Police Department jail, taken into custody by the San Jose Police Department, and returned to Santa Clara County on Wednesday, according to a joint press release from the SJPD, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, the Orange County District Attorney's Office, the Westminster Police Department, and the FBI. 

Kim is accused of orchestrating the ambush killing of a man in East San Jose June 27, 2016, where the hired hitman ended up killing the wrong person, according to San Jose police. Despite multiple efforts to locate him, Kim was never found and he was featured on the department's most wanted fugitve list.

Kim is also suspected in the September 5, 2018 fatal shooting of a friend in the parking lot of a Westminster CVS store after arguing with him over money, authorities said. Kim allegedy shot 26-year-old Christopher Kim six times in front of the victim's girlfriend and ran away, according to police. Orange County prosecutors say that Kim was out on bail after being charged with dealing drugs, being a convicted felon in possession of a gun, and possession of metal-piercing ammunition at the time of the 2018 killing.

In December 2025, investigators learned that Kim was in Laos and had visitied the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane to inquire about travel documentation. Working with the Orange County and Santa Clara County DA's offices, investigators began working to return Kim to the United States for prosecution of both murders.

Following diplomatic assistance from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security in Vientiane, the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, Laotian authorities arrested Kim for alleged using fraudulent travel documents, authorities said. The FBI and U.S. Marshals from Orange County coordinated Kim's return to California on Wednesday.

"Mr. Kim's cowardly acts of violence finally caught up with him, despite being halfway across the globe," said Patrick Grandy, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office in a statement. "The FBI's Orange County Violent Crime Task Force is proud to assist police departments seeking violent subjects who've fled the jurisdiction, and we will continue these partnerships and those we've developed with countries all over the world to seek justice for victims of violent crime."  

"Justice knows no borders and we will go to the literal ends of the earth in the pursuit of justice," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer in a prepared statement. "It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow. But the long arm of the law of Orange County is coming for you and there is not a country on earth that is capable of shielding you from our unwavering pursuit of justice."

"Once again, an all-star team of agencies worked closely together to make sure a multiple murder suspect faces justice," said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen in a statement. "Cooperation closes cases." 

 "No matter how much time passes or how far someone runs, accountability can still find them," said San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph in a statement. "Our homicide detectives never gave up on this case, and their persistence, combined with extraordinary support from our law enforcement partners, brought this suspect back to San José to face justice."

Authorities said Kim was expected to be prosecuted for the murder in San Jose before being returned to Orange County to be prosecuted for the Westminster murder. 

 "If you come to our city and commit murder or any other serious crime, we will track you down and arrest you. No matter how long it takes us or where you flee to, we are coming for you," said Westminster Police Chief Darin Lenyi in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Thank you to our federal partners and OCDA's office for their efforts in bringing a violent fugitive to justice."