BOR, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast — Russian news reports said searchers had found the body of an American student who went missing several days earlier and that a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
A court in central Russia has arraigned the suspect suspect, identified as Alexander Popov, on murder charges in the death of an American woman studying at a local university. Russian news reports said he had a record of violent crimes. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
The body of Catherine Serou, 34, was found Saturday in a wooded area near the city of Bor, 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Moscow.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed Serou was found dead in Russia.
"We are closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the cause of death. We are providing all appropriate assistance to the family," the U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
Serou previously went to the University of California, Davis, according to an article from the school's newspaper and the UC Davis Art History Program.
Russia's Investigative Committee said a woman's body was found in Bor and that a suspect with a record of serious crimes had been arrested but did not give names. Authorities did not specify the cause of death.
Local news reports said Serou was last seen on Tuesday after getting into a car. Beccy Serou, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, told NPR that her daughter had last texted her: “In a car with a stranger. I hope I’m not being abducted.”
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