Detectives found the clothing on Jan. 18, 1980 when they were investigating the death of Myong Su Cho, a 29-year-old Portland State University student who worked as a clerk at a convenience store. Cho had been abandoned as an infant during the Korean War, lived in a rooming house and had supported himself with a variety of jobs after moving to Portland in 1975... Cho, who had been studying to be an engineer, had been working at the convenience store for just two weeks. He took the job because a financial grant had expired.
Lawrence said Cho left behind no trace of his life. "He had no photos," the detective said. "We couldn't even find a driver's license or identification card. We had an artist do a composite sketch of him from his autopsy. When we go before the grand jury, we always have a photograph to humanize the victim. We want them to put a face to the name."
When the trial ends, Lawrence said he plans to send the sketch to Cho's elderly sister. "It's all she will have of him," he said.
