Woman's body found in Naha hotel; US Marine arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder

On the 4th, Okinawa Prefectural Police arrested Marine Corps Private First Class Devin Jacob Ballard (20) of the U.S. military base Futenma on suspicion of robbery and murder after the body of a 39-year-old woman was found in a hotel room in Naha City. He reportedly denies the charges, saying, ``I don't know.'' Prefectural police will investigate the cause of the woman's death and the relationship between the two.

Woman robbed and murdered in hotel room? Searching for the person who left - Okinawa Prefectural Police

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in some way in a hotel room in Wakasa, Naha city between 2:10 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. on the 3rd, and stealing her backpack, wallet, and other items.

According to the First Investigation Division, the woman entered the hotel with a man at around 2:10 a.m. When the employee did not leave the room after the check-out time, they checked the room at around 4:15 a.m. and found the body. The backpack and other items were found near the hotel.

Surrounding security cameras showed a man with tattoos on both arms and a skinhead appearance leaving the hotel with the woman's backpack. Around 11:30 p.m. on the 3rd, investigators found Ballard, a suspect with similar characteristics, on the street in Okinawa's entertainment district. He requested voluntary accompaniment to the Okinawa Police Station and was arrested early on the 4th.