New evidence emerged during a hearing in France, reopening questions in one of the most complex cases of the last decade. The third trial against Nicolás Zepeda began on March 17 in Lyon, France, regarding the disappearance of Narumi Kurosaki. The defense presented unidentified DNA, raising doubts about what happened in 2016.
The case of Narumi Kurosaki's disappearance is gaining traction in France again. On Tuesday, March 17, the third trial against Nicolás Zepeda commenced in Lyon, bringing forth new evidence that intensifies the investigation and reignites questions about the events of December 2016. This process reopened after the French Supreme Court annulled previous sentences—of 28 years in prison—issued in 2022 and 2023 due to alleged irregularities.
In this new judicial scenario, evidence has emerged that could alter the course of the case. According to journalist Roberto Cox via social media, Zepeda's defense presented two key elements during the hearings: the possible involvement of a fourth person and a request for new interrogations. DNA of a fourth person One of the most striking points is the discovery of DNA belonging to an unidentified individual.
This trace was found on a pillow in Narumi Kurosaki's room, the last place she was seen alive. Until now, genetic analyses had identified only three profiles: that of the victim, Nicolás Zepeda, and Arthur del Piccolo, the young Japanese woman's partner at the time. However, this new element raises a question that the defense seeks to exploit.
Zepeda's lawyers questioned why this DNA had not been compared with that of Hiroki, a friend of Narumi who visited the u…
A testimony that contradicts Zepeda's version But this is not the only element that intensifies the trial. Another key piece of evidence was also revealed by Roberto Cox: the testimony of a worker who attended to the couple on the night of December 4, 2016, which would be the last public record of Narumi alive. The account of the waiter is particularly relevant as he was the last person outside the intimate circle to interact with both.
His statement directly contradicts Zepeda's version, who has maintained that this encounter marked a romantic reconciliation. “To me, they seemed like people who worked together, not a loving couple. They weren't smiling.
A bit cold, like colleagues at a meeting,” the witness stated before the court. The description raises doubts about the nature of the encounter and weakens the thesis of a relationship in the process of being repaired, a central element in the accused's defense. A case that continues to have an impact The same witness also shared a personal reflection that highlights the human impact of the case, even years later.
“I think a lot about that girl, and I wonder why? What happens to people? She seemed nice, she was pretty.
She had her whole life ahead of her. They wasted her life and that of her families,” he expressed, visibly affected. His words reflect the emotional dimension of a case that has transcended the judicial realm, establishing itself as one of the most complex and media-covered processes of the last decade in France.
The disappearance that still has no answer Narumi Kurosaki, 21, was in France for a university exchange when she disappeared in December 2016. She was last seen entering her residence in Besançon with Nicolás Zepeda. Since then, the French prosecution has maintained the thesis of a crime motivated by jealousy following the breakdown of their relationship.
However, the lack of a body and the emergence of new evidence have kept multiple questions open. This third trial, taking place in Lyon, aims precisely to clarify those doubts. The appearance of unidentified DNA and a testimony that contradicts the accused's version once again instills uncertainty in a case that, nearly a decade later, still lacks a definitive truth.
With new evidence on the table and conflicting accounts, the trial against Nicolás Zepeda enters a decisive stage. Key questions about the case of Narumi Kurosaki and the trial against Nicolás Zepeda What new evidence emerged in the trial against Nicolás Zepeda? DNA from an unidentified fourth person was detected in Narumi Kurosaki's room, specifically on a pillow.
The defense questions why it has not been compared with a friend who was present at the location. What did the key witness say about Narumi Kurosaki's last encounter? A waiter testified that the interaction between Narumi and Zepeda was cold and distant, “like colleagues,” contradicting the accused's version of a supposed romantic reconciliation that night.
Why is a third trial being held against Nicolás Zepeda? Because the French Supreme Court annulled the previous sentences in 2025 due to irregularities, ordering the process to be repeated in Lyon to reevaluate the evidence and testimonies in the case.