Auburn Student James "Weston" Higginbotham Found Dead in Mountains Near Kyoto, Family Confirms

June 6, 2026 - JAPAN - Auburn University student James "Weston" Higginbotham, 20, was found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, Japan, after days of intensive searching by police, volunteers, and his own family. His mother confirmed the heartbreaking discovery in a Facebook post, saying volunteers located her son's body on Saturday.

A Search That Spanned Days and Two Countries

Higginbotham vanished on May 29 while on a family vacation in Japan. According to multiple reports, he separated from his parents and brother after a disagreement about using artificial intelligence to plan parts of the trip. A devoted naturalist, he preferred navigating without digital assistance and set out alone through Kyoto's Yamashina district, an area that leads into heavily wooded hiking terrain.

Japanese authorities launched a 72‑hour search, deploying more than 100 police officers, K‑9 units, and helicopters across the forested mountains east of the city. Despite the scale of the operation, the official search ended Friday with no confirmed sightings.

Family-Led Search Brings Tragic Discovery

Refusing to give up, the Higginbotham family organized their own search effort Saturday morning, recruiting local residents and hiring a private rescue team to explore areas police had not yet covered. It was during this volunteer‑driven effort that searchers discovered Weston's body in a remote, mountainous section outside Kyoto.

Authorities in Japan have not yet released an official cause of death, and the investigation remains ongoing.

A Life Rooted in Curiosity and the Outdoors

Higginbotham was a junior at Auburn University, studying biosystems engineering. Friends and family described him as an outdoors enthusiast who loved hiking and exploring natural landscapes-traits that made the wooded trails around Kyoto especially appealing to him.

The family had traveled to Japan to celebrate his younger brother's high‑school graduation, turning what was meant to be a joyful milestone into a tragedy that drew international attention.

Family Statement: "The Grief We Feel Is Impossible to Put Into Words"

In her public post, Weston's mother, Nancy Higginbotham, expressed profound grief and gratitude:

"Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search‑and‑rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto. The grief we feel is impossible to put into words."

She also thanked the many people-both in Japan and abroad-who shared the family's story, offered prayers, and assisted in the search.

"The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives."

A Community in Mourning

News of Higginbotham's death has reverberated across Auburn University and throughout Alabama, where many have followed the story since his disappearance. The university has not yet issued a formal statement, but students and community members have begun sharing condolences online.

As the investigation continues in Japan, the Higginbotham family is expected to release additional details regarding arrangements and memorial plans.