Searchers found missing Auburn University student James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, and it doesn’t seem as if the police currently treat it as a true crime. The latest updates reveal he was found deceased in a mountainous area outside Kyoto.
Family Vacation Gone Wrong
Per NewsNation Now, Weston, a sustainability engineering major from Hoover, Alabama, vanished on May 29, 2026.
Higginbotham was last seen in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward in Japan on May 29, where he had been visiting with family to celebrate his younger brother’s graduation.
At the time of his disappearance, Nancy Higginbotham said her son may have been “emotionally distressed.”
Caught On Camera
Other reports suggested that he separated from his relatives to explore Kyoto alone after a disagreement with his mom about using AI for navigation.
When LiveNOW from Fox covered the news, the host mentioned that CCTV captured his last confirmed sighting near Yamashina Station.
Until now, all his parents knew was that James “Weston” Higginbotham was near a river.
Then he boarded a train while using the Life360 app. Shortly after, his phone went dark.
Search Efforts
Japanese police, helicopters, and a volunteer search-and-rescue group conducted a week-long operation. The family held out hope because Weston was vegan, knew how to forage, and “was built to endure.”
On June 6, 2026, volunteers found his body. Officials haven’t released a cause of death. The investigation is ongoing. However, so far, there seem to be no indications of foul play.
Statements and Grief
Weston’s mom, Nancy Higginbotham, confirmed the discovery on social media. She wrote, “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” and added that “the outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days.”
The family also thanked supporters and asked for privacy.
Viewer Comments
Many of the reactions on the Fox video were written in Japanese. Clearly, the people there feel saddened. And what comes through, is their gentle, sorrowful and kind remarks to the family.
One of them wrote, “Thank you so much to all the kind people in Japan who did their best to find this young man and bring peace of mind to his family.”
Here are a few more responses from the discussion:
- I was hoping he would survive, so this is truly sad… I offer my deepest condolences.
- I was hoping he would survive, so this is truly sad… I offer my deepest condolences.
- I am truly saddened by this news. Please accept my deepest condolences.
- I was so sure they would return safely, so this is truly heartbreaking. My deepest condolences.
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