Father of K-Pop Star Samuel Died of 'Blunt Force Trauma' in a Home Invasion; Suspects Still at Large
Authorities are still searching for answers in the death of Jose Arredondo, a California car dealer who was killed in Cabo San Lucas this week.
According to Bakersfield.com, Arredondo was beaten to death. Authorities in Baja California Sur told Associated Press that Arredondo, 60, died from blunt-force trauma.
Although some news outlets claimed that Arredondo had suffered from stab wounds, authorities could not confirm those reports. No further details about his death were released.
Arredondo, a well-respected member of the Bakersfield community who immigrated to the United States in the 1970s from Mexico, was found in a home that he owned in the popular Mexico resort town. Authorities are calling the incident a “home invasion,” but have not publicly disclosed whether there are any suspects.
“We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death,” a United States State Department official told the AP on Tuesday.
Arredondo was also the father of K-pop star Samuel. His son, whose full name is Samuel Kim Arredondo and has also gone by the nickname “Punch,” appeared in his dad’s car dealership commercials as a child and went on to perform as part of the duo 1Punch.
Now living in South Korea, Samuel released a debut solo album in 2017.
Members of Arredondo’s church are mourning his death, which pastor James Ranger called “murder.”
“Jose Arredondo was murdered last night,” Ranger, the pastor of New Life Church, said on Facebook on Tuesday.
“I will miss you my dear friend….until we meet again,” Ranger wrote in the post, which included an old video of Arredondo, encouraging donations to the church to renovate one of their campuses.
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“In this video you hear his heart for Jesus, the Church, for reaching the needy, and…then at the end…his understanding about the end of life and hearing Jesus say, ‘Well done,'” Ranger added. “He is now hearing those words.”
Samuel Arredondo Kim disabled his social media accounts on Wednesday. He has not publicly commented on his father’s death.
