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Murder of Narumi Kurosaki

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Murder of Narumi Kurosaki
LocationBesançon, France
Date5 December 2016
2:30 AM (UTC+1)
Attack type
Femicide
VictimNarumi Kurosaki, aged 21
PerpetratorNicolás Zepeda, aged 26
VerdictGuilty
ConvictionsPremeditated murder

Narumi Kurosaki was a Japanese woman who disappeared in the city of Besançon, France, in December 2016 and is believed to have been murdered. The primary suspect in her case is Nicolás Zepeda, her former boyfriend from Chile, whom she had met while studying in Japan and separated from two months prior to her disappearance.[1] The international nature of the case garnered significant attention, as authorities from three continents—France (Europe), Japan (Asia), and Chile (South America)—were involved in the judicial process.[2][3][4]

On 12 April 2022, Zepeda was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 28 years in prison.[5][6] A retrial commenced on 4 December 2023,[7] originally scheduled to begin on 21 February but temporarily suspended after Zepeda's defense lawyer, Antoine Vey [fr], withdrew from the case.[8] The retrial concluded on 22 December, upholding the original sentence. On 26 February 2025, the Court of Cassation, France's highest appeals court, ordered a retrial, ruling that investigators had withheld evidence from the defense. Zepeda will remain incarcerated pending the third trial.[9]

Background

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Narumi Kurosaki
黒崎 愛海
Born23 July 1995
Tokyo, Japan
Disappeared5 December 2016 (aged 21)
Besançon, France
Alma materUniversity of Tsukuba (no degree)
University of Franche-Comté (no degree)
OccupationCollege student
Partner(s)Nicolás Zepeda (2015–2016)
Arthur del Piccolo (2016)
Nicolás Zepeda
Born
Nicolás Humberto Zepeda Contreras

(1990-12-11) 11 December 1990 (age 34)
Temuco, Chile
Alma materUniversity of Chile
University of Tsukuba
OccupationPublic administrator
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Criminal penalty28 years in prison
Accomplice(s)Narumi Kurosaki (2015–2016)

Narumi Kurosaki (黒崎 愛海, Kurosaki Narumi, born 23 July 1995 – disappeared 5 December 2016)[10] grew up in a family of five, with her parents and two younger sisters, Honami and Kurumi. From 2011 to 2014, she attended Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School. Narumi was 21 years old when she arrived in France on 26 August 2016 to study at the University of Franche-Comté in Besançon. There, she took French classes at the Center for Applied Linguistics before joining the Faculty of Economics in January. Narumi lived in a student room on the second floor of the Théodore Rousseau residence hall on the La Bouloie campus.

Nicolás Humberto Zepeda Contreras (born 11 December 1990) was born into a Chilean family of three children. His father, Humberto Zepeda, is a senior executive at the telecommunications provider Movistar. His mother, Ana Luz Contreras, is an engineer who worked as a secretary to Senator Francisco Huenchumilla at the time[11] and also worked in the human resources department of the municipality of La Serena. Nicolás grew up with his twin sisters, Belén and Josefa, in Temuco in southern Chile, attending Colegio Centenario until 2008. In 2009, the family moved to Antofagasta and later to La Serena. Nicolás studied administrative sciences at the University of Chile.[12] After the case became public, various members of Zepeda's family were harassed by journalists.[1]

In 2014, Nicolás arrived in Japan to continue his studies, where he met Narumi in October at a party on the campus of the University of Tsukuba.[1] They began a romantic relationship in February 2015, and the couple traveled to Chile from 6 September to 1 October 2015,[1] where Nicolás introduced her to his family as his partner. Nicolás left Japan in 2015 at the end of the academic year but returned on 12 April 2016 to look for work. According to Nicolás, Narumi officially ended their relationship shortly after arriving in France on 6 October. Zepeda left Japan on 9 October.[13] In Besançon, Narumi met new people, including Arthur del Piccolo, a student at the Higher National School of Mechanics and Microtechnology, who became her new boyfriend.

Events

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On Sunday, 4 December 2016, Narumi attended her dance class as usual, leaving at around 4:00 PM. In the early hours of 5 December, around 3:20 AM, approximately fifteen students at Narumi's residence heard screams followed by a thud. Rachel Hope, a British student, messaged a friend: "I'm scared, I heard a noise like someone was being killed."[13] Another student, Nabil Drissi, investigated but could not determine the source of the sounds. The following day, Narumi's classmates noted her absence from class, stating that she had never missed a class before.

Over the next few days, Narumi's family and friends received messages from her phone via text and social media claiming that she had a problem with her passport and needed to go to the Japanese consulate in Lyon. On 6 December, her bank card was used to purchase a one-way train ticket to Lyon. However, passengers seated near her assigned seat reported not seeing anyone matching her description. Subsequent messages claimed she had a new boyfriend and was traveling alone. No further messages were received after 12 December.

On 14 December, the Center for Applied Linguistics in Besançon alerted the police, who entered Narumi's room on 15 December. Investigators initially suspected Arthur del Piccolo, Narumi's new boyfriend. During his interrogation, Del Piccolo mentioned Nicolás Zepeda, describing him as jealous and possessive, and revealed that Zepeda had hacked his Facebook account. Initially, this information was not considered decisive due to the geographical distance. However, geolocation data from Narumi's phone revealed that she had been at a restaurant on the night of 4 December, and the bill had been paid with a Chilean bank card.[1]

On the night of 4 December, Narumi Kurosaki and Nicolás Zepeda had dinner at La Table de Gustave restaurant in Ornans, approximately 20 kilometers south of Besançon.[1] Surveillance footage recorded them leaving the restaurant at 9:57 PM and arriving at Narumi's dorm at 10:58 PM. According to Zepeda's testimony, the "screams" were Narumi's moans, as the couple allegedly had sex for two and a half hours after arriving at her dorm.[1] On the night of 5 December, Del Piccolo was outside Narumi's apartment and planned to enter until he received messages from her number stating that she had "found someone else" and was leaving him.[14] Zepeda was the last person to see Narumi alive. As of 2025, her body has not been found.[3][10]

Investigation

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Narumi's room inspection

[edit]

Police entered Narumi's room (Room 106) on 15 December at 5:31 PM and found it unusually tidy, despite her typically messy habits. Her only coat, laptop, and wallet containing 565 euros were present, but a blanket, suitcase, passport, and phone were missing. Fingerprints on a cup were identified as belonging to Nicolás Zepeda. DNA analysis revealed traces of Zepeda on a water bottle, T-shirt, walls, bathroom floor, and sink.[13] Blood samples from the victim were found on the emergency exit door, which Zepeda used to leave the building.[1]

Digital data analysis

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On 5 September 2016, Narumi sent Zepeda an SMS stating, "I will never delete Arthur," after he asked her to remove some Facebook contacts. On 7 September, Zepeda posted a video on Dailymotion discussing his relationship with Narumi in disturbing terms: "She has to pay a little for what she has done and accept that she cannot continue making these kinds of mistakes with someone who loves her." He added, "Certain conditions are applicable during her stay in France, and others are applicable forever. If she cannot follow these conditions for two weeks, within two weeks, I will enforce these conditions with immediate effect."[1][3]

Witness testimonies

[edit]

Juan Felipe Ramírez Contreras, Zepeda's cousin, spent five days with him in Barcelona before his return to Chile. Questioned by Catalan police on 24 January 2017, Ramírez revealed concerning details about their conversations. Zepeda had concealed his meeting with Narumi in Besançon, claiming he was in Europe for a conference in Geneva. Zepeda also inquired about death by suffocation and referred to Narumi in the past tense: "Narumi really liked the sea."[13]

Judicial process

[edit]

Extradition of the suspect

[edit]

On 18 May 2020, the Chilean Supreme Court authorized Zepeda's extradition to France.[15] Zepeda, under house arrest in Viña del Mar since June, was transferred to Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport on 23 July 2020 and handed over to French authorities. He arrived in Besançon on 24 July and was imprisoned in the local pre-trial detention center.

Trial against Nicolás Zepeda

[edit]

The trial, referred to as the "Great Trial" by the French Ministry of Justice, began on 29 March 2022 in the Cour d'Assises of Besançon.[16] Due to the international scope, the trial featured simultaneous translation and accommodated time differences with clocks displaying French, Japanese, and Chilean times. Witnesses from abroad, including ten from Tokyo, two from Santiago, and one from Scotland, testified via videoconference.

Zepeda was defended by Jacqueline Laffont, a lawyer known for representing high-profile clients, including former President Nicolas Sarkozy. Narumi's family was represented by Sylvie Galley, while Arthur del Piccolo was represented by Randall Schwerdorffer. The prosecution was led by Étienne Manteaux, and the trial was presided over by Matthieu Husson. Zepeda's parents and Narumi's mother and sister attended the trial.

Key evidence included Zepeda's blogspot page, where he shared fictionalized stories about his relationship, and his activity on forums like Smule, last.fm, and DeviantArt. French authorities presented intercepted private messages showing Zepeda's jealousy and possessiveness.[13] Zepeda pleaded not guilty, claiming he did not kill Narumi.[2]

On 12 April 2022, Zepeda was found guilty and sentenced to 28 years in prison.[17] He is expected to serve the first 15 years in France, after which he could be extradited to Chile to serve the remaining 13 years.[5]

Retrial

[edit]

On 21 February 2023, a retrial began in the Cour d'Assises of Haute-Saône in Vesoul after Zepeda appealed his sentence. The trial was initially set to conclude on 10 March 2023.[18] However, on 18 February, Zepeda's lawyer, Antoine Vey, withdrew from the case, leading to a 48-hour suspension. Zepeda's new legal team, Renaud Portejoie and Julien Dreyfus, requested a postponement, which was granted, rescheduling the trial for 4–20 December 2023.[19][20]

On 17 November 2023, Julien Dreyfus withdrew from the case, and Zepeda hired Sylvain Cormier, known for representing footballer Karim Benzema. Zepeda's defense sought to include witnesses who claimed to have seen Narumi alive after her supposed death, including Saïd Nemeri, who alleged she went into hiding with a French soldier.[21]

The retrial began on 4 December 2023.[7] On 21 December, the Cour d'Assises of Haute-Saône confirmed Zepeda's guilt and upheld the 28-year prison sentence.[22] Zepeda's defense immediately announced an appeal to the Court of Cassation.[23]

On 26 February 2025, the Court of Cassation ordered a retrial, citing withheld evidence by investigators. Zepeda will remain incarcerated pending the third trial.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ayala, L.; Siredey, F.; Velasquez, F. (18 February 2017). "Las huellas que conducen a Nicolás". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Chilean denies murder of Japanese ex in high-profile French trial". The Japan Times. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "'True crime' has gone global in murder plot spanning 3 continents". The Phnom Penh Post. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Murder case across three continents: Japan's Narumi Kurosaki". WION. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Culpable: Nicolás Zepeda es condenado a 28 años de cárcel por crimen de Narumi Kurosaki". 24 horas (in Spanish). 12 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  6. ^ Robert-Diard, Pascale (15 April 2022). "Nicolas Zepeda, the killer who can't confess". Le Monde. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b ""Yo no maté a Narumi", dice el chileno Zepeda, juzgado en Francia por el asesinato de su exnovia japonesa". France 24. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  8. ^ Cooperativa.cl. "Caso Narumi: Aplazan apelación luego de que abogado de Nicolás Zepeda lo abandonara". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  9. ^ "France court orders retrial of Chilean over alleged murder of ex-girlfriend". Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Narumi, la joven "alegre" y "generosa" supuestamente asesinada por el chileno Zepeda en Francia". France 24. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Revelan que madre de Nicolás Zepeda es secretaria del senador de la DC, Francisco Huenchumilla". La Nación (in Spanish). 5 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  12. ^ Carvajal, José (13 April 2022). "¿Quién es Nicolás Zepeda? El chileno condenado por el asesinato de Narumi Kurosaki". La Tercera. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  13. ^ a b c d e Siredey, Francisco (5 March 2020). "La sombra larga de Narumi: los argumentos de Francia para extraditar a Nicolás Zepeda". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  14. ^ CHVNoticias.cl. "Ex pareja de Narumi Kurosaki revela nuevas teorías sobre Zepeda: "La metió en su maleta"". CHVNoticias.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  15. ^ "Chilean court approves extradition of suspect in Japanese woman's murder to France". The Japan Times. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Femicida Nicolás Zepeda: Impunidad en la justicia chilena". Radio JGM (in Spanish). 20 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  17. ^ "French court jails Chilean for 2016 murder of Japanese ex-girlfriend". The Japan Times. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  18. ^ "Caso Narumi: Juicio de apelación de Nicolás Zepeda será el primer trimestre de 2023". Radio Bío-Bío (in Spanish). 8 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Juicio de apelación de Nicolás Zepeda se aplazará hasta el jueves « Diario y Radio Universidad Chile". radio.uchile.cl (in European Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Aplazado sin fecha el juicio en apelación al chileno Nicolás Zepeda por asesinato". RFI. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  21. ^ Batarce, Catalina (23 February 2023). "El misterioso "testigo clave" que irrumpe en el caso Narumi: "Ella está viva, se esconde con un soldado francés con quien tiene una relación"". La Tercera. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  22. ^ "French appeals court jails Chilean for murder of Japanese student". 21 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Affaire Narumi : Nicolas Zepeda va se pourvoir en cassation, peut-être un nouveau procès dans quelques mois - France Bleu". ici, par France Bleu et France 3 (in French). 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  24. ^ "France court orders retrial of Chilean over alleged murder of ex-girlfriend". Retrieved 26 February 2025.
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