Mika Moring faces manslaughter trial over Saara Arva’s death
Thursday 6th August 2026 on 07:15 in
Finland
Mika Moring is appearing in the North Savo District Court on Thursday over the alleged manslaughter of 35-year-old Saara Arva and aggravated deprivation of liberty, Yle reports.
The trial in Kuopio has been scheduled for seven days. Prosecutors allege that Moring killed Arva in Vesanto between 31 August and 1 September 2019. Moring denies the charges.
Arva disappeared in autumn 2019, and her remains were found in Vesanto, in North Savo, in April 2024 after she had been missing for almost five years.
Moring and Arva travelled around Vesanto and neighbouring municipalities during spring, summer and early autumn 2019. Moring told police that he last saw Arva on 1 September 2019 after they had argued and she had walked away.
The last confirmed sighting of Arva alive was at the Neituri Canal, a canal on the border between Vesanto and Konnevesi in Central Finland, on 31 August 2019.
Moring has been described as a serial predator because he drove several women around Finland and subjected them to physical and sexual violence. He is currently serving a prison sentence for several violent and sexual offences.
The Helsinki Court of Appeal sentenced Moring to six years in prison in December 2025 for several violent and sexual offences. In June 2024, the Turku Court of Appeal sentenced him to more than two years in prison for rape, assault and deprivation of liberty, according to Yle.