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Plane with Chilean man facing murder charge over Japanese student lands in France

Jul 25, 2020 (Japan Times) - A plane carrying a Chilean man accused of murdering a Japanese student in France nearly four years ago landed at a Paris airport Friday morning as part of his extradition process.

Nicolas Zepeda, 29, had been under house arrest at his mother’s apartment in the resort of Viña del Mar, 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Santiago. He is charged in France with premeditated murder in the alleged 2016 slaying of Narumi Kurosaki, 21. The body of the Japanese woman, who was living on the Besancon university campus, was never found despite a months-long search.

Zepeda was turned over to French officials Thursday on the Paris-bound plane, which landed at 11:12 a.m. at Charles de Gaulle Airport. His extradition was approved by Chile’s Supreme Court in May, but was delayed because of the coronavirus crisis and the cancellation of many international flights.

Kurosaki disappeared in the early hours of Dec. 5, 2016, from her apartment in France. Zepeda returned to Chile before her disappearance was investigated.

Source: Kyodo

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