A senior inspector-level police officer, who had been under police investigation for allegedly conspiring and coercing others to delete an intelligence report that warned of safety concerns ahead of the tragic crowd surge in Itaewon during Halloween weekend, was found dead in his home.

According to the Gangbuk Police Station, the officer, only identified by the family name of Jeong, was found dead by relatives on Friday.

An official from the police said Jeong supposedly committed suicide, without giving further details. The senior police official who was booked for allegedly destroying evidence reportedly sent a text message to several  colleagues the previous day that foreshadowed suicidal intent.

Jeong, a former intelligence division section manager at the Yongsan Police Station, was accused of abuse of authority, and of persuading unit members to look the other way regarding alleged offenses.

A special investigative unit was conducting a probe on the officer and the supervising official in the same section, both booked under suspicion of abuse of authority, evidence tampering and death by occupational and gross negligence.