The ex-husband of a young woman found murdered and buried on Rmeileh beach confessed to her killing during police questioning, the Internal Security Forces reported. In a statement, the ISF said that Lebanese national Fadi Aa., born in 1984, first denied any involvement in the killing but later confessed to killing his ex-wife on Jan. 6 before burying her on the beach and throwing the murder weapon into the sea. Police said he led investigators to the location of the body.

The body of the victim, Palestinian national Zarifa Z. who was born in 1995, was found covered with sand, rocks and rubbish.

Sources close to the investigation told The Daily Star that Aa. had told his brother, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, that he had killed his wife.

His brother did not believe him but told Aa.’s tale to an unnamed person who relayed it told the ISF’s Information Branch. ISF personnel went to Z.’s sister’s house and discovered that Z. had been missing for two days, prompting them to arrest Aa.

According to the ISF, Aa. said he had killed Z. by stabbing her in the neck and heart. Aa. referred to Z. as his “wife,” but told investigators that the marriage had never been officially registered and that he had “verbally” divorced her in the past.

Z.’s body was transported to Sidon’s governmental hospital. Investigations are ongoing.