Overview
- A Lyon appeals court imposed a life sentence on the Chilean national in his third trial, even though Narumi Kurosaki’s body has never been found.
- The prosecutor, following Wednesday’s closing arguments, had sought a 30-year term and said Zepeda killed her in her dorm room and hid the body out of jealousy.
- Zepeda has repeatedly denied killing Narumi, though he acknowledged in court that he changed his account many times over the past decade.
- Five DNA traces were found in the room, and fresh checks of two very weak male traces against France’s national DNA database (FNAEG) produced no match.
- Defense lawyers urged acquittal, arguing the inquiry was sloppy and that jurors must not convict if any reasonable doubt remains.