OITA ¨C Police on Sunday arrested a 58-year-old man on suspicion of abandoning the body of an unidentified person in a mountainous area of Bungoono, Oita Prefecture, around early March.
The suspect, Tadafumi Himeno of the city of Oita, is believed to be connected to the disappearance of a teenage girl who has been missing since early March. The Oita prefectural police are investigating a possible link.
According to the police, an investigation into the teen¡¯s?movements raised the possibility that the suspect may have had knowledge of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. When questioned, he largely admitted to the allegations and made statements suggesting he had killed her.
On Sunday afternoon, the police discovered an unidentified body in the mountains of Bungoono. They believe the body may be that of the missing teen and will conduct an autopsy to determine the victim¡¯s identity and cause of death.
The prefectural police said the girl?was last seen by her family at their home in Oita Prefecture at around 11:30 p.m. on March 2, after which her whereabouts became unknown. Her mother filed a missing person report on March 4.
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