Cord-Like Marks Found on Woman's Neck in Okinawa Murder Case

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)--A woman found dead in a hotel room in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, had marks on her neck suggesting she was strangled with a cord-like object, people familiar with the investigation said Monday.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who was arrested by the Okinawa prefectural police on Sunday on suspicion of robbery and murder of the woman, was sent to public prosecutors on Monday. He continues to deny the allegations, the people said.

The woman, 39, entered the hotel with a man at about 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, according to the police. After they failed to leave by checkout time, a hotel employee entered the room at about 4:15 a.m. and found her body. An autopsy found that she died of suffocation from strangulation.

The woman's backpack and other belongings were found near the hotel. Security camera footage from the area showed a man leaving the hotel carrying her backpack.

Ballard was found walking alone on a street in the city of Okinawa on Saturday night. His clothing differed from that of the man shown in the security footage, but the police said they detained him because his tattoos on both arms and other features resembled those of the man in the footage.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]