Police said the body of a 17-year-old girl was found under a bridge near the Sagami River in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture at around 2 a.m. on June 11.

The third-year high school student from the neighboring city of Zama went out on the evening of June 10, saying she was going to meet her former boyfriend and did not return home.

Police conducted a search based on GPS data from her mobile phone and discovered her body on the riverbed.

Investigators had been questioning the 19-year-old former boyfriend and arrested the Sagamihara resident on suspicion of murder after he admitted involvement in the incident.

He is suspected of strangling the girl at around 10 p.m. on June 10 near the site where the body was found.

During questioning, the suspect admitted to the allegations, saying the circumstances are exactly as described.

Investigative sources said he told police that he pressed the girl to get back together multiple times but was rejected.

On the day of the murder, he is believed to have gone near her home and asked her again to rekindle their relationship but was turned down, after which he carried out the crime.

The suspect was sent to prosecutors on June 12.