Guys, sometimes the scariest stories aren’t about monsters in the shadows. They’re about the person who used to hold your hand and whisper sweet things… until they couldn’t let go.
This is the real story of Narumi Kurosaki – a bright, 21-year-old Japanese student who left home for France chasing dreams, independence, and a fresh start. What she got instead was a nightmare that still hasn’t fully ended. And yeah, as of December 2025, this case is still dragging on with appeals and retrials. Let’s break it down.
Who Was Narumi? Just a Girl Chasing Her Future
Picture this: Narumi was calm, friendly, super focused. The type who lit up when talking about her studies.
She moved to Besançon, France, in the summer of 2016 on a scholarship to learn French and dive into literature. It was supposed to be exciting — new country, new adventures, new chapter.
Her family back in Japan – parents and two younger sisters – were proud. Friends said she was always smiling, always planning ahead. Nobody thought France would become her last stop.
The Relationship That Wouldn’t Die
Before France, Narumi dated this guy named Nicolás Zepeda, a Chilean student she met in Japan.
Like a lot of international romances, it started fun -messages, calls, visits. But it ended messy. They broke up a couple months before she left.
Most people move on. Zepeda? From everything that came out later… he didn’t.
Court docs and old messages paint a picture of someone who got more and more controlling. Jealous texts, demands, that vibe where “love” starts feeling like ownership. It’s the kind of red flag that makes you pause and think: when does heartbreak cross into something dangerous?
The Night Everything Vanished (December 2016)
Then, boom – silence.
On December 4, Narumi and Zepeda had dinner together at a restaurant outside Besançon. Witnesses said they looked normal, relaxed even. He was there unannounced, supposedly by “chance.”
That night, students in her dorm heard screams and thuds around 3 a.m. from her room. The next day? Narumi’s gone. No note, no travel plans, nothing. Her room was weirdly clean for her (she was usually messy), her passport, phone, suitcase – missing. But her wallet, laptop, and coat were still there.
Her phone sent strange messages to friends and family for days after – stuff like “I found someone else” or travel excuses. But Narumi? Vanished. No body ever found.
Can you imagine the panic? Family in Japan losing their minds, posters everywhere, police searching forests and rivers…
How Suspicion Landed on Zepeda
Investigators started connecting dots, and it all pointed one way.
- Digital trails: Zepeda flew to France right around the disappearance. Phone data, CCTV, geolocation – it didn’t match his story.
- That dinner: Paid with his Chilean card. He was the last person seen with her.
- Messages & jealousy: Old texts showed obsession. He even asked someone about suffocation once (chilling detail).
- Evidence in the room: His fingerprints, DNA on cups and surfaces.
It built up fast. No smoking gun like a body, but the circumstantial stuff was heavy. Prosecutors called it premeditated – he came to France with a plan.
The Trials: Guilty, Then Not So Fast
In 2022, a French court convicted Zepeda of premeditated murder. 28 years. For Narumi’s family, it felt like some justice.
But it didn’t stick. Appeals happened. In late 2023, another court upheld the sentence. Then – big twist – in February 2025, France’s highest court (Court of Cassation) ordered a third trial because investigators supposedly withheld some evidence from the defense. Zepeda’s still locked up, but the retrial’s set for March 2026. The case is ongoing, and her body remains missing.
Why This One Hits Hard (And Why We Can’t Look Away)
Look, true crime like this isn’t about gore. It’s about how ordinary things turn dark. A breakup. Distance. Refusing to accept “no.”
It reminds me of those wild stories we tell – the ones where family demands go too far, or jealousy explodes. Except here, it ended in presumed murder. Obsession dressed up as love. Control that kills.
Lessons that stick:
- Love isn’t ownership – ever.
- Jealousy isn’t cute – it’s a warning.
- Red flags matter – especially when someone’s far away and can’t easily leave.
Narumi trusted someone she once cared about. That’s the heartbreaking part.
Wrapping It Up: Real People, Real Pain
Stories like this are tough to share, but they matter. Behind the headlines are families still waiting for answers, still hurting. Narumi’s wasn’t just a case – she was a daughter, a sister, a dreamer.
If you’re into true crime obsession murder cases or the Narumi Kurosaki disappearance, this one’s a reminder: sometimes the most dangerous person is right there in your contacts.
What do you think – obsession or innocence? Drop your thoughts below. And stay safe out there.
(This is based on court records, news reports, and public investigations up to December 2025. The case is ongoing, so things could change.)