A robbery and murder occurred at a hotel in Naha City, Okinawa, and a U.S. Marine Corps officer was arrested

(Central News Agency reporter Dai Yazhen, Tokyo, 4th) A robbery and murder occurred in a hotel in Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan yesterday. A 39-year-old woman was found dead in the guest room. The Okinawa Prefecture police announced today that they have urgently arrested 20-year-old Marine Corps Sergeant Ballard, who is affiliated with the US military Futenma Base. He is suspected of killing the woman and stealing her wallet and other items. The suspect was unaware of the confession and denied committing the crime.

The Asahi Shimbun reported that police pointed out that Devin Jacob Ballard was suspected of killing the 39-year-old woman of unknown occupation in a hotel in Wakasa 1-chome, Naha City between 2:10 and 4:17 a.m. on the 3rd, and robbed her of her belongings.

At about 4:20 a.m. on the 3rd, because the tenant still had not left after check-out time, the hotel staff felt suspicious and used the master key to enter the room. They found the woman unconscious and immediately reported the incident. After ambulance crews arrived, they confirmed the woman was dead at the scene.

The police reviewed the surveillance cameras and found that before the woman was discovered, a man who entered the room with her and appeared to be a foreigner took the woman's belongings and left the hotel. The police subsequently set up a task force to investigate the robbery and homicide case.

The hotel where the incident occurred is located in the entertainment area about 1 kilometer northwest of the Okinawa Urban Monorail Kencho-mae Station. Nearby are Naminoue Beach and Tsushima Maru Memorial Hall, which are familiar to tourists. (Editor: Tian Ruihua) 1151004