Man who fled to South Korea after ‘96 slaying convicted of murder by Philadelphia jury

Man who fled to Asia convicted of murder in Philly

PHILADELPHIA — A man who fled to South Korea for a decade after being charged in a 1996 slaying in Philadelphia has been convicted of murder.

A city jury found 32-year-old David Nam guilty of second-degree murder on Friday. The conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors say Nam and three juvenile accomplices tried to rob 75-year-old retiree Anthony Schroeder, but the man came to the door with a gun.

Investigators say Nam, then 19, fatally shot Schroeder through the screen door.

Nam’s alleged accomplices pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and testified against him.

Nam’s attorney said Friday his client did pull the trigger but it was a panicked reaction, not murder.

The FBI arrested Nam in South Korea in 2008 after he jumped bail in 1998.

Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, www.philly.com