No foul play suspected in James Higginbotham's death in Japan, but cause remains undisclosed

KYOTO, JAPAN: The mystery surrounding Auburn University student James 'Weston' Higginbotham's disappearance took a heartbreaking turn when Japanese authorities confirmed that the 20-year-old had been found dead more than a week after he went missing during a family trip. 

Investigators said no foul play is suspected, but officials have not disclosed the cause of death.

Higginbotham's disappearance sparked a large-scale search effort that gained international attention. Japanese police, volunteers, and members of the public joined his family in searching the rugged mountain terrain near Kyoto.

While the discovery has provided some answers, key questions about what happened in his final days remain unanswered. 

Japanese authorities find missing Auburn student

Weston disappeared on May 29 while vacationing in Japan with his family. According to relatives, the Auburn engineering student was last seen near Kyoto after becoming separated from his parents and brother during a sightseeing trip.

Higginbotham, 20, was last seen on CCTV exiting a train in Yamashina on the night of May 29. His family said he was an experienced hiker who often explored trails on his own.

Authorities later focused their search on heavily wooded areas near the Kyoto-Shiga prefecture border after surveillance footage showed him walking toward a trail system.

Japanese police deployed significant resources, including helicopters, K-9 units, and more than 100 officers. Despite days of searching, officials initially found no trace of the student.

The search ended after authorities located Higginbotham's body in the mountainous region where investigators had concentrated their efforts.

Weston Higginbotham's family mourns tragic loss

Although police have indicated that no evidence of criminal activity has been found, they have not released details about the circumstances surrounding Higginbotham's death.

No foul play is suspected, and police have not disclosed Weston's cause of death.

Nancy Higginbotham, Weston's mother, paid tribute to her son in a statement after sharing that he had been found dead.

“Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto. The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” Nancy wrote.

“We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston,” she added. “But cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like.”

Nancy told NBC News that Weston had a disagreement with his parents over her use of ChatGPT during their trip. “We try never to use it, and I completely agree with him. It was a silly argument,” she said at the time.

In a conversation with Fox News, Nancy said that Weston's phone lost connection at 8:29 pm on May 29, making it impossible for his family to track him through the Life360 app or send him text messages.

In her post announcing Weston's death, Nancy said she and her family “are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston's story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts.”

She concluded, “Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston.”