- Two men were found dead in separate motels after drinking beverages a woman allegedly spiked with prescription drugs.
- Seoul police say her repeated ChatGPT questions about lethal sedative–alcohol combinations show she knew the mixture could be deadly.
- Investigators argue her chatbot search history proves intent, making it central to their upgraded murder charges.
South Korean police have upgraded charges against a 21-year-old woman to murder after uncovering a disturbing series of queries she apparently typed into ChatGPT before two men were found dead in separate motel rooms.
Investigators in Seoul say the suspect, identified only as Kim, repeatedly asked the AI chatbot in different ways about what happens when you mix sleeping pills with alcohol and when it becomes dangerous and eventually lethal. Police now argue that those searches show she knew the risks long before she served the drug-laced drinks that left two men dead and another unconscious.
Authorities had originally arrested Kim in February on the lesser offense of inflicting bodily injury resulting in death, a charge that often applies when someone causes fatal harm without intent to kill. That changed once digital forensics teams combed through her phone. The combination of her earlier statements and the precise phrasing of her ChatGPT questions convinced investigators she was not simply reckless or unaware. It shaped the backbone of a revised case that now alleges deliberate, premeditated poisoning.
According to police accounts, the first suspected murder occurred on January 28 when Kim checked in with a man in his 20s in a hotel and left two hours later. Staff discovered his body the next day. On February 9, a nearly identical sequence played out at a different motel with another man in his 20s. In both cases, police say the victims consumed alcoholic drinks that Kim had prepared, which investigators believe she had dissolved prescription sedatives into.
Detectives uncovered an earlier, nonfatal attempt involving Kim’s then-partner, who later recovered. After he regained consciousness, investigators say Kim began preparing stronger mixtures and significantly increased drug dosages. The role of ChatGPT became central to the case once phone records were decoded. The searches investigators highlighted were not broad or vague. They were, according to authorities, specific, repeated, and fixated on lethality.
The police say it means she knew what could happen and that it changes the story from an unintentional overdose to a planned and studied poisoning. Kim reportedly told investigators that she mixed the sedatives into drinks but claimed she did not expect the men to die. Police counter that her digital behavior contradicts that story. They have also suggested that actions she took after the two motel deaths further undermine her claims. According to officials, she removed only the empty bottles used in the mixtures before leaving the motel rooms, while taking no steps to call for help or alert authorities. Detectives interpret that as an attempted cover-up rather than panic or confusion.
ChatGPT poison guide
One of the most striking elements of the case, beyond the violence itself, is the way generative AI fits into the investigative timeline. For years, police have relied on browser histories, text logs, and social media messages to establish intent. The presence of chatbot interactions adds a new category of evidence. ChatGPT, unlike a traditional search engine, can deliver personalized guidance in conversational form. When someone asks a question about harm, the phrasing and follow-ups can reveal not only curiosity but persistence.
For everyday people who use AI casually, the case serves as a reminder that digital footprints can take on lives of their own. As more people turn to chatbots for everything from homework help to medical questions, law enforcement agencies around the world are beginning to explore how these conversations should be handled during investigations. Some countries already treat logs from AI services no differently from browser data. Others are still weighing privacy concerns and legal boundaries.
While the events themselves are tragic, they highlight a new reality. Technology now sits in the background of many serious crimes. In this instance, police believe the ChatGPT queries help paint a clear picture of intent. The courts will eventually decide the extent to which those questions prove guilt. For the public, the outcome may influence how people think about the privacy, permanence, and potential consequences of interacting with AI.
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