German police searching for the kidnapped 11-year-old son of a prominent banking family have confirmed that a body found in a forest near Frankfurt is that of the boy.
Speaking in Frankfurt, police said Jakob von Metzler was killed on Friday, the day he was abducted while on his way home from school.
The body was found tied in a bundle in a water-filled ravine northeast of Frankfurt, police said. He vanished after taking a city bus to his usual stop near his home. Soon after, a ransom note was found on the path leading to the family villa.
The boy's parents, who control Metzler Bank, had paid a €1 million ransom early yesterday on the advice of police.
Four people were arrested in connection with the kidnapping: a 16-year-old girl and her boyfriend, whose age police corrected to 27 from 24, and two brothers aged 21 and 23.
Based on their questioning of the suspects, police said they believe the 27-year-old law student had probably acted alone and had known Jakob before the crime. They also said part of the ransom money was found on the suspect.
The three other suspects were released.
AFP