Master Do with his family: Standing are his children — Kathy, Ricky, and Stella — with Do and his wife Soon Shin seated.

CrimePAY$   $50,000 Murder Reward  TipLine 1-888-755-TIPS (8477)

CrimePAY$ has joined detectives in hopes of solving the murder of a local martial arts teacher,who was gunned down outside his studio almost five years ago.

He was called the “Bruce Lee of South Florida.” Tae-kwon-do master Young Soo Do, 62, was adored and respected by many. “Four hundred dollars in his pocket, established a business, raised his children here, had the American dream and it became the American nightmare,” said friend Peter Cruz.

Do, a ninth-degree black belt, could pull trucks with his teeth, shear off the tops of wine glasses with the edge of his right hand, and break stones with his head. Though he had left Korea in 1975 with only $400 in his pocket, he had built a martial arts empire in South Florida.

His martial arts school’s enrollment grew to 500 students a year. Philip Michael Thomas of Miami Vice visited, and Barry Gibbs’s son studied there. The City of North Miami made Do an honorary police chief, probably because of his popularity with local cops. The martial arts master even taught his techniques in special classes for federal agents.

Almost five years after the murder, police still do not have a suspect or any leads. “These are the casings that were recovered from the scene,” said one police official.

There is a $50,000 Reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case.

Master Do was killed behind his North Miami martial arts school. He was just sitting, watching a friend wash his car when someone came up and shot him. “The subject came from the alleyway and approached the area where Master Do’s vehicle is being washed. He confronted Master Do, he fired three shots,” said another police official.

Witnesses saw a slim, mustached black man in a white tank top running from the parking lot.

Police released surveillance video that shows a newer model Mercedes speeding away from the scene.

CrimePAY$  $50,000 Murder Reward  TipLine 1-888-755-TIPS (8477)

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 30th, 2012 at 3:56 pm and is filed under $50,000+, Florida, Unsolved Murder. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.