The excavation site on the playground of Xinhuang No. 1 Middle School in Huaihua, Central China's Hunan province, on June 21, 2019. (Photo: Xinhua)

Police have arrested Huang Binsong, the former headmaster of Xinhuang No.1 Middle School in Hunan, on a murder charge after the remains of a former employee were discovered in the school's yard, 16 years after his disappearance, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Deng Shiping was part of the school's maintenance staff when he went missing over 16 years. His remains were discovered buried in the school's yard on June 20.

A jury team assembled on Monday by the local discipline inspection and investigation department was sent to investigate the case, looking for more detailed information, as well as answers for the public.

Police investigation revealed that Deng's death was connected to a bigger plot.

In 2001, Du Shaoping, the nephew of the then headmaster Huang, was in charge of building the school's sports ground, while Deng oversaw the project's quality control.

It's alleged Deng was murdered after refusing to be drawn into fraudulent activities related to the project.

Local police said last Thursday that 10 people, including Huang, were put under custody soon after Deng's remains were discovered.

"Huang Binsong denies knowing anything about Deng Shiping's death. However, he admitted responsibility for the illegal construction of the school yard," said an investigator during an earlier interview on Sunday. The illegal construction is alleged to have led to Deng's death.

Deng's murder has caused great pain to his family.

"I couldn't stop crying when I saw the excavator unearth my father's body, and the thought of more than 320 kilograms of rocks that were on top of him" said Deng Lanbing, daughter of Deng Shiping.

Deng Lanbing says her biggest hope is to move his father's body away from the harrowing ground as soon as possible, and to see the culprits behind his death get punished.