Mika Moring denies killing Saara Arva during 2019 trip

Mika Moring has denied killing Saara Arva or forcing her to accompany him on a trip from which she apparently never returned to Helsinki, Yle reports. Moring made the statement on Friday at the Northern Savonia District Court, where he faces charges of killing and aggravated deprivation of liberty.

Prosecutor Antti Lampén is seeking an unconditional prison sentence of 9.5 to 10 years. Moring denies using serious violence against Arva.

“There may have been a push. No punches or kicks,” Moring told the court.

He acknowledged that they argued, but said the disputes were verbal and related to substance use.

“I drove the whole time, and Saara drank the whole time,” he said.

Moring said Arva became more withdrawn during the final days of the trip. According to his account, she turned her head away when he said they would return to Helsinki in two or three days.

Prosecutors allege that Moring killed Arva between August 31 and September 1, 2019. Her remains were found in Vesanto, Northern Savonia, in April 2024.

Moring described their final day together

Moring said their paths separated on September 1, 2019. He told the court that they slept in the yard of a museum in Vesanto before going to a cash machine.

He said he and Arva then visited a Motonet store, rested for a while in the museum yard and went to the centre of Vesanto, where they at least refuelled the vehicle.

The camera at the Vesanto cash machine was faulty, and the images do not show who last used Arva’s card. Moring said Arva carried out the balance inquiry.

According to Moring, they argued in the evening and Arva walked away. They were then in Horonkylä, beside a gravel road.

“I do not know what happened after that. It is speculation for me, just as it is for all of you,” Moring said.

He visited the yards of two houses and knocked on their doors, but nobody answered. He said he spent about five minutes in the yards.

When he could not find Arva, Moring said he concluded that someone must have taken her to the railway station.

Moring denies using a rowing boat

The prosecution has presented photographs of a rowing boat as evidence. Arva’s remains were found on difficult terrain at a headland in Horonkylä, Vesanto, which is most easily reached by water.

The boat’s owner said the oars were positioned differently from how he had left them.

Moring denied using anyone’s boat.

“I have not moved the oars,” he said.

Messages showed Moring seeking female company

The court also examined messages Moring had sent through a dating service.

“Moring was looking for company for himself while he was still with Arva,” Lampén said.

At the turn of July and August, Moring and Arva had sought company together in the messages. From August 25 onwards, Moring searched for company only for himself. Moring said Arva knew about the messages.

In the messages, Moring described himself as sporty, tidy and healthy, and said he was looking for a respectable woman.

His defence lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, said Moring had sent similar messages before and that there was nothing unusual about them.

Gummerus said the joint messages had not led to any meetings, after which Moring began seeking company alone. He also said Moring had not been in a steady relationship with Arva.

Moring told the court that he had not intended to continue the relationship with Arva.

“I told her that I would not take anyone to live with me,” he said.

The prosecution argues that Moring’s conduct shows he intended to end Arva’s company while they were still in Vesanto and knew that she could no longer be met in Helsinki.

The prosecution also presented text messages as evidence in support of the charge of aggravated deprivation of liberty. Lampén is seeking a prison sentence for that charge as well.