Man accused in fatal stabbing of man pleads not guilty

PORTLAND — A man accused of killing the co-founder of Choi’s Kimchi in Portland pleaded not guilty in court Monday after a Multnomah County grand jury indicted him on murder and other charges.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports in the death of Matthew Choi, Allen Coe faces three counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder, two counts of burglary, two counts of identity theft and unlawful use of a weapon.

The grand jury heard the case last week and returned the indictment Friday. Among those who testified was Jenny Kwon, Choi’s girlfriend. Choi, 33, died trying to stop an intruder from stabbing Kwon, police and court records said.

Coe lived in the same apartment building but didn’t know Choi or Kwon. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf by a court-appointed attorney.

Court documents say Coe broke into the apartment early on Oct. 25. Kwon saw a figure and woke Choi who went to investigate, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Coe stabbed Choi repeatedly, then lunged at Kwon with a knife, according to the affidavit. Choi “came in and grabbed” the assailant and pulled him away from Kwon, the affidavit states. The killer fled.

Responding police found a backpack near Choi’s apartment with Social Security cards belonging to two people who also lived in the complex. The two people told police their apartment had been burglarized days earlier.

Another resident of the complex called police to say that a man who lived in the complex, Coe, matched the description of the murder suspect.

Choi was known for Choi’s Kimchi, which he founded with his mother.