They say you get what you deserve, but in the case of two California siblings, karma came back to bite harder than ever. John Chong Uk Moon, 54, and Cindy Kim, 58, are in police custody after being caught on video hurling racial slurs at a couple eating at Panera Bread. But they were not arrested for the racist encounter. Instead, the most shocking part about the incident came before and after the camera started rolling.
It all started when a couple visiting California from Florida began filming Moon and Kim while getting into a verbal altercation with the two siblings. “What are you looking at, n****r?” Moon asked the woman recording him. Apparently, the beef began before the woman pulled out her phone. She alleged Moon started verbally attacking her and calling her names.
“I said hi, this n****r started staring at me,” Moon told his sister, who entered the frame seconds after the altercation began. “We were sitting here, minding our own business,” the female tourist responded before Moon continued saying, “I said hi and he stared at me.”
That’s when Moon’s sister, Kim, jumped in and told the Florida duo “Don’t be a n****r, don’t act n****rly.’” Moon then called the male tourist “white trash” among other things. Eventually the camera stopped rolling, but after the Florida couple decided to post their Karen interaction online, an unexpected connection was made to a February murder.
The Murder of Cuauhtemoc Garcia
On Feb. 25 around 12:30 p.m., 66-year-old Cuauhtemoc Garcia was shot and killed while walking on a bike path at a local park, according to Fox News. Officials said he was being followed by two unidentified individuals who had been captured on video.
“This was a senseless and brutal act of violence that took the life of a husband, father and businessman who simply wanted to enjoy a peaceful walk,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “My sympathies go out to his family as they grieve this unimaginable loss. We will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law to hold those responsible accountable.”
A Greater Connection
Despite police sharing footage of the two murder suspects, officials hit a wall and no leads had been made. But after the video of Moon and Kim’s racist interaction began circulating online, an anonymous tipster contacted police when they recognized Moon and Kim from their wanted poster.
The tipster became instrumental to cracking the case, according to officials, as Moon and Kim were hard to track down because they had been living in their car. Apparently, the siblings allegedly tried to steal Garcia’s car and shot him when he refused to hand over his keys, according to NBC 4.
The Chase and Arrest
After deputies were able to identify Moon and Kim, they tied them to a silver Toyota Prius, where they had been living. This led to a police chase which ended in a collision, Fox 11 reported. The siblings were then arrested and each charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted second-degree robbery, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
“Thank you so much,” Garcia’s widow told Fox 11 of the anonymous tipster. “You have made such a difference to a family. We can bury my husband at least knowing that they have the people in custody.”