The search for Auburn University student James "Weston" Higginbotham has ended in tragedy after the 20-year-old was found dead following a days-long search in Japan.
Weston, a junior at Auburn University and described by his family as a passionate environmentalist, went missing while traveling with his family in the Kyoto region.
According to CNN, the disagreement involved his mother's use of AI tools for navigation, after which Weston chose to explore Kyoto alone.
Authorities later confirmed Weston was last seen on May 29 in the Yamashina area on the outskirts of Kyoto.
A full timeline of the case is as follows:
May 22: Arrival in Japan, Weston and his family arrive in Japan for a family trip from Alabama.
May 29: Day he went missing, Family spends time in Kyoto before Weston separates from them. Reported disagreement with his mother over AI-assisted navigation.
May 30: Missing report filed, Weston is officially reported missing at around 2 am by his family.
June 2: CCTV confirmed, search shifts, CCTV footage from May 29 is verified by authorities.
June 3: Large-scale search operation, Police deploy helicopters, K-9 units, and dozens of officers.
June 4: Ongoing investigation, Search continues with expanded review of surveillance footage.
June 5: Search scaled down, Intensive 72-hour police search concludes in the region.
June 6: Body found, Volunteer search-and-rescue team locates Weston's body in a mountainous area outside Kyoto.
