Japanese authorities continued the search on June 4, a day that Nancy said they were searching through waste-high mud to find her son, but being meticulous where they looked. The family also got Weston’s story out to numerous Japanese networks that day, including CNN, The Japan Times and local Kyoto news outlets. Local residents assisted In spreading the word, as well.
On June 5, the Higginbothams got permission to launch their own search party in Shiga, but were still awaiting confirmation from multiple CCTV footages as they were chasing multiple leads on the situation at the same time.
The search reached a week in length that day when Nancy put out an urgent call to experienced hikers, trail runners and outdoor enthusiasts to join in on the search, saying the terrain was very steep and rugged, and that food sources were very limited at that point in the search.
In the early morning hours of June 6 in Kyoto, the Higginbothams took on another search with a batch of locals, searching areas the Japanese police had not yet gone through in their efforts. The search went through wooded areas that very steep and dense, with Weston’s father, Keith, comparing it to the steepest portions of Oak Mountain State Park.
In the waning minutes of Saturday night though, Nancy posted on Facebook that Weston had been found deceased in a mountainous area just outside of Kyoto.
“We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan and around the world who shared Weston’s story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement and helped in the search efforts,” Nancy posted. “The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives. We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston. We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss.”
The search for Weston included resources and efforts from the Japanese government, local Japanese police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Embassy, the state government in Alabama, Japanese volunteers and friends of the Higginbothams.
Weston attended Auburn University, where he studied biosystems engineering in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.
“Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and support,” Nancy posted. “We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston.”