Sticky Notes and 19 Pairs: The Evidence in a Tempe Assault Case

Nineteen pairs of women's underwear were recovered from the car and home of Mach Kim, a 46-year-old man arrested last week for a sexual assault in Tempe. Police say seven of those pairs, found in his Chandler residence, were marked with sticky notes bearing dates and names. The discovery adds a layer of detail to an investigation that began after a woman was attacked near her home on Halloween.

Court documents released Nov. 10 describe the alleged assault starting around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 near Eighth Street and Dorsey Lane. The victim, walking home from a party, was stopped by a driver who pointed a black pistol at her and ordered her into his vehicle. Kim allegedly forced her to wear an eye mask, drove her to a second location, and sexually assaulted her. He then dropped her off near McClintock and University drives, where she found a passerby to help call police.

Investigators used the timeline from the victim's phone GPS to identify the suspect. They matched the route with traffic camera footage, which led to a white Dodge Ram pickup registered to Kim. Detectives also compared a sketch drawn by the victim with Kim's driver's license photo, finding a resemblance. On Nov. 5, officers surveilled Kim and collected a DNA sample from a Wendy's cup he discarded. That sample matched DNA taken from the victim during a sexual assault exam.

When police arrested Kim in Scottsdale, a search of his car yielded a black CO2 gun shaped like a handgun, a black sleep mask, a pillow, a towel, and six pairs of women's underwear. A subsequent search of his home revealed 13 more pairs of underwear and an eye mask. Kim invoked his right to remain silent and requested a lawyer before answering further questions. Detectives believe other victims may not have come forward and have asked potential witnesses to call Tempe police at 480-350-8311.