tourist attack neuschwanstein

American man pushed 2 U.S. tourists into ravine at German castle, killing one woman, police say

An American man has been arrested in the death of a U.S. tourist and an assault on another near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany after he allegedly pushed the two women down a steep slope, authorities said Thursday.

The incident near the popular tourist attraction happened on Wednesday afternoon near the Marienbruecke, a bridge over a gorge close to the castle that offers a famous view of Neuschwanstein.

The 30-year-old man met the two female tourists, ages 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint, police said in a statement.

He then “physically attacked” the younger woman, police said. When her companion tried to intervene, he choked her and pushed her down a steep slope.

The assailant then appears to have attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well. She fell nearly 165 feet, ending up close to her friend.

A mountain rescue team reached both women. The 22-year-old was “responsive” and taken to a hospital, police said; a helicopter carried the 21-year-old to a different hospital with serious injuries, and she died there overnight.

The suspect left the scene but was arrested quickly nearby. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

Witness Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who shot the video, said the man appeared to have scratches across his face.

“He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,” Abneri told The Associated Press. “He just walked with the police and that was it.”

Abneri said he and friends arrived at the scenic overlook as a helicopter arrived and they saw rescuers lower themselves down to the victims.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.

Abneri described it as “a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill.”

“They did an unbelievable job,” he said.

Police said the man they arrested was American and described him as also a tourist; prosecutors said the women were fellow U.S. citizens. The 22-year-old remained hospitalized Thursday, according to prosecutors.

Authorities didn’t identify either the suspect or the victims or give any further details.

Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered the suspect held pending a potential indictment — a process that can take months — and he was taken to jail. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offense.

Police said they and prosecutors were focusing on trying to reconstruct exactly what happened and called for any witnesses to come forward.

Neuschwanstein, located in southern Bavaria close to Austria’s border, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist attractions.

It is the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century. Construction started in 1869 but was never completed. Ludwig died in 1886.

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An American is arrested over the death of a U.S. tourist at a German castle

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Authorities say a tourist has died after a man attacked her and a companion near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany. The incident near the popular tourist attraction close to the Austrian border happened Wednesday afternoon. Frank Rumpenhorst/AP hide caption

Authorities say a tourist has died after a man attacked her and a companion near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany. The incident near the popular tourist attraction close to the Austrian border happened Wednesday afternoon.

BERLIN — Police in southern Germany are appealing for photos and videos taken by witnesses of an attack near Neuschwanstein castle in which an American man allegedly pushed two women down a steep slope, killing one of them. A suspect was arrested following the attack.

German news agency dpa quoted police as saying Friday that they have so far received about a dozen submissions on a specially created website , but assume many more images were taken by tourists present at the site.

"We are looking for photographs which, by chance, show two young women and a man (approx. 30 years old) who were staying east of the Marienbruecke," Kempten police said on their website. "These persons may have been walking together or separately."

In this image taken from video, a suspect is taken away by two police officers near Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau, southern Germany on Thursday. An American man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting two U.S. tourists near the castle and then pushing them down a steep slope. Eric Abneri/AP hide caption

In this image taken from video, a suspect is taken away by two police officers near Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau, southern Germany on Thursday. An American man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting two U.S. tourists near the castle and then pushing them down a steep slope.

The Marienbruecke, or Mary's Bridge, is a popular vantage point for photos of Neuschwanstein, the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century.

According to the initial police investigation, the suspect met the two female tourists, Americans aged 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint.

"The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect," police spokesman Holger Stabik said. "The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope."

The assailant then appears to have attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before pushing her down the slope as well, prosecutors said. She fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), ending up close to her friend.

Both women were recovered by mountain rescuers. The 21-year-old was flown to a hospital with serious injuries and later died. The 22-year-old remains hospitalized, but is "responsive," police said.

Authorities haven't named either of the victims or given any further details.

People watch the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Frank Rumpenhorst/AP hide caption

People watch the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023.

The suspect, who likewise was not identified, remains in custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said, adding it wasn't clear how long he had been in the country.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin said it was aware of the incident and the consulate in Munich was in contact with authorities.

"Due to privacy considerations, we are unable to comment further at this time," the embassy said in a statement.

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US man held after fatal attack near Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany

Women aged 21 and 22 had met the suspect for the first time shortly beforehand

An American man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and sexual assault after allegedly attacking two women near one of Germany’s most popular tourist attractions and throwing them down a 50-metre ravine.

One of the women, aged 21, died overnight from serious injuries. Her 22-year-old companion was still in hospital with serious injuries. Neither has been identified, but according to German media reports both women were also Americans.

The attack took place on Wednesday afternoon at the 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, the state prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told reporters.

The two women had met the man on a trail close to Marienbrücke, a bridge over a gorge close to the castle that offers a famous view of Neuschwanstein.

The three of them then went “over a trail path to a viewing point, where he then physically attacked the 21-year-old,” Hörmann said. Investigators were working on the assumption that the attack was sexually motivated, he added.

“The 22-year-old wanted to help, whereupon he strangled her and pushed her down the incline.” The 21-year-old also plunged into the ravine.

Witnesses reported seeing the women lying side by side 50 metres below. The women were recovered by a mountain rescue team from Füssen and were flown by helicopter to a nearby clinic.

The man fled the scene and a suspect was arrested shortly afterwards, following a large police operation. A witness video posted online showed a man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap being led away in handcuffs by police.

Criminal investigative police from Kempten have launched an investigation into murder, attempted murder and sexual assault, assisted by officers from a local alpine taskforce who have expert knowledge of the terrain.

The alleged attacker appeared before a judge in Kempten and is being held in custody.

A spokesperson for the castle said it was operating normally and the Marienbrücke, a popular place from which to view the picturesque castle, was also accessible.

Neuschwanstein was built on top of a rock ledge above the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps on the orders of Bavaria’s King Ludwig II, who wanted a reproduction of a medieval castle. Building work began in 1868 but it was never completed. It now draws an estimated 1.4 million tourists a year.

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Man arrested in killing of U.S. tourist on cliff near German castle

The 30-year-old is in custody after allegedly pushing two female tourists off a cliff near neuschwanstein castle.

German police arrested a 30-year-old U.S. man in the killing and attempted sexual assault of an American tourist last week near Neuschwanstein Castle , a popular tourist attraction in Bavaria.

Police said he pushed two women down a 150-foot drop close to the edge of a pedestrian bridge that overlooks the castle in southern Germany outside the village of Schwangau.

A 21-year-old woman died in the hospital after the Füssen mountain rescue service retrieved her with a helicopter, police said . Her 22-year-old friend, whom police said the suspect choked when she intervened in the attack, survived the fall. The man and both women are U.S. citizens, the Associated Press reported . Their identities were not released by officials.

This week, family members and a church leader identified the victims as recent graduates of the University of Illinois. Eva Liu, 21, died in the incident, according to the Rev. Mark Zhang of Living Water Evangelical Church in Naperville, Ill. The family attended the church and Liu’s parents told him that she had been killed, the AP reported . Kelsey Chang, 22, of Normal, Ill., survived the attack and was reportedly on a flight back to the United States on Tuesday. The suspect is from Michigan, according to the AP and ABC 7 Chicago .

According to police, the three tourists met on a hiking trail east of the Marienbrücke bridge in the German Alps, and the man lured the two women to a trail out of public view. Police suspect he attempted a sexual attack on the 21-year-old, and he choked and pushed the 22-year-old when she tried to intervene.

At Neuschwanstein, there was a rescue of multiple people from a helicopter and one was taken out in handcuffs, seemingly after they fell from a cliff and climbed over railings. pic.twitter.com/yVGqqSRlwX — Eric Abneri (@thefrownyface) June 14, 2023

The man was arrested near the scene shortly after authorities launched a search upon receiving a complaint around 2:40 p.m. June 14. The suspect appeared in Kempten District Court the following day and was taken to a correctional facility, police say.

Another visitor, Eric Abneri, who captured video of the arrest, told the Associated Press that the man appeared to have scratches on his face. Abneri and his friends also saw the rescue.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this,” Abneri told the AP. “It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff.”

Bavarian king Ludwig II ordered the construction of the Neuschwanstein Castle in the 19th century. It is one of the most visited castles in Europe .

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American tourist killed, another injured in attack near Germany's Neuschwanstein castle, police say

Neuschwanstein was the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty."

BERLIN and LONDON -- An American tourist was killed and another was injured when they were attacked by an American man they met near the famous Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany, authorities said Thursday.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon in the German state of Bavaria near the Marienbruecke, a pedestrian bridge popular for its stunning view of Neuschwanstein. Nestled on the edge of the Bavarian Alps, the 19th-century palace was the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty." Two women, ages 21 and 22, met a 30-year-old man on a hiking trail east of the bridge who then lured them onto a path that led to a viewpoint, according to a statement from the Bavarian State Police.

MORE: 2 Americans found dead in hotel room in Baja California Sur, Mexico: Police

The man then "physically attacked" the younger woman, police said. When the other woman tried to intervene, the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. He then apparently attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before also pushing her down the slope. Both women fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), according to police.

A mountain rescue service from the nearby town of Fuessen rescued both women. The 22-year-old was injured but responsive and taken to a hospital. The 21-year-old suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital, where she died overnight, police said.

The suspect had left the scene but was arrested close by soon after, according to police.

MORE: 5 dead, plus unborn child, in shooting at Jehovah's Witness hall in Germany: Police

Although the names of the suspect and the victims have not yet been released, a Bavarian State Police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that all three were American tourists.

The suspect appeared before a judge in the nearby town of Kempten on Thursday and was ordered to be held in jail pending a potential indictment. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and sexual offense, according to police.

Police have called for any witnesses to come forward as they continue to investigate the alleged attack.

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American Woman Dies at Neuschwanstein Castle After Push Down Cliff

The woman, 21, was visiting the popular German site with a friend when they met a man who persuaded them to take a little-used trail and then assaulted them both, the police said.

By Christopher F. Schuetze

Reporting from Berlin

One American woman was killed and another was injured on Wednesday when a man pushed them down a cliff near Neuschwanstein Castle, the popular German tourist site at the foot of the Alps, the local police said.

The police in Bavaria — the state containing the castle, which is said to have been the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland in California — said they had arrested a 30-year-old American suspect after a manhunt that included a helicopter and search dogs. They appealed for any witnesses who may have seen or filmed the deadly episode, in which the man was also said to have tried to sexually assault one of the women.

“It’s a very rare and noteworthy thing to happen there,” said Holger Stabik, a police spokesman. “We very rarely have any crime there at all.”

The police did not release the victims’ or the suspect’s names or home states.

The two women, friends age 21 and 22, were visiting the site as tourists, the police said in a statement . On Wednesday, the women were near the castle when they met an American man, who persuaded them to join him on a little-used unofficial hiking trail that led into a forest and toward the picturesque cliffs surrounding the castle, the police said.

Once out of view of the busy official path, they said, he attacked the 21-year-old. When the 22-year-old tried to intervene, the man pushed her down the steep cliff, according to the police, before trying to sexually assault the 21-year-old and then pushing her down the cliff as well.

Both women plunged about 150 feet and, shortly afterward, were rescued by the local mountain patrol and flown by emergency airlift to a hospital, according to the police. But the 21-year-old woman died from her injuries that night.

The 22-year-old was in stable condition and was able to speak with investigators, according to the police.

Neuschwanstein Castle, near the Austrian border about 50 miles southwest of Munich, is one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. The castle, built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the second half of the 19th century, attracts about 1.4 million visitors each year.

Eric Abneri, 21, a New York native, said in an interview that he had been visiting the castle with a couple of friends during a tour of Europe on Wednesday. When he saw a helicopter trying to rescue the two women, he and his friends believed there had been an ordinary hiking accident. But he soon came across the police search and watched as officers led a man away, a scene that he filmed and then posted on Twitter.

Mr. Abneri said that the man had not resisted when being taken away by the police, and that the man had the look of a “generic tourist.”

“The only thing that stuck out to me is that he had a lot of red marks on his face and neck,” Mr. Abneri said in the interview, adding, “He really looked like the victims clawed into him.”

An earlier version of this article misidentified the building that Disney is said to have modeled on Neuschwanstein Castle. It is Sleeping Beauty’s castle, not Snow White’s.

How we handle corrections

Christopher F. Schuetze covers German news, society and occasionally arts from the Berlin bureau. Before moving to Germany, he lived in the Netherlands, where he covered everything from tulips to sea-level rise. More about Christopher F. Schuetze

Tourist dies after attack near Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle

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American man charged with murder in Germany over an attack on 2 U.S. tourists

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An American man has been charged with murder and other offenses for attacking two women from the U.S. near Neuschwanstein castle in Germany in June and pushing them into a ravine, fatally injuring one of them, prosecutors said Thursday.

The indictment against the 31-year-old suspect, whose name hasn’t been released in line with German privacy rules, was filed at the state court in Kempten, which will have to decide whether and when to send the case to trial.

He faces charges of murder, rape with fatal consequences, attempted murder and possession of child pornography. Murder charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison in Germany.

The attack took place on June 14 near the Marienbruecke, a bridge over a gorge close to the castle that offers a famous view of Neuschwanstein, one of Germany’s most famous tourist attractions.

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Prosecutors say the suspect met the two female tourists, ages 21 and 22, by chance on a hiking path and lured them off the trail. They said in a statement that he apparently first forced the younger woman to the ground and tried to undress her.

When the elder woman tried to help her, a scuffle ensued and the suspect allegedly pushed her down a steep slope. She fell about 165 feet and sustained a head injury, bruises and grazes, but survived.

The suspect then allegedly strangled the younger woman until she was unconscious and raped her, prosecutors said, before pushing her down the slope as well. She died.

Prosecutors said they secured a laptop and cellphones from the suspect containing child sexual abuse material.

Authorities say the women didn’t know the man before they met near Neuschwanstein. The suspect was arrested shortly after the attack.

Neuschwanstein, close to the Austrian border, is the most famous of the castles built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century and is a magnet for tourists from around the world.

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Tourist dead after attack near Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle

One of two female tourists attacked by an American man near the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany has died, German police said on Thursday.

Key points:

• According to police the two women encountered a 30-year-old American tourist on a trail near the castle
• The man attacked the 21-year old and pushed the 22-year-old down a deep slope when she intervened
• Criminal police have taken over the investigation 

A 21-year-old woman, who had to be taken to a hospital by helicopter, died overnight from serious injuries she sustained, while her 22-year-old companion was still in hospital, local police said in a statement.

According to police the women encountered a 30-year-old American tourist on a trail near the Marienbrücke bridge, which is popular for its view of the castle, who brought them to a hidden trail leading to a viewpoint.

The man then attacked the 21-year-old, said police, and when the 22-year-old intervened, the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope.

"According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed," police said in a statement.

The 21-year-old was also pushed down the slope, where she came to rest after falling nearly 50 metres, they added.

The suspect was arrested shortly afterwards, following a large police operation on Wednesday afternoon.

Criminal police have taken over the investigation into attempted murder, as well as a sexual offence, with the current focus on reconstructing exactly how the incident took place, police said.

The incident took place at the Marienbrücke, which is a popular meeting point for tourists with a view over Neuschwanstein Castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle, about 105 kilometres south-west of Munich, is one of the most popular destinations in Europe.

According the castle's website, about 1.4 million people visit the castle annually, and in the summer months the castle counts more than 6,000 visitors on average daily.

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American woman who was pushed and fell 165 feet near German castle is released from hospital

Tourists stand on the Marienbr’cke bridge, near the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Authorities say an American man has been arrested in Germany after allegedly assaulting two tourists he met near Neuschwanstein castle. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, left one of the women dead. Police said Thursday that the 30-year-old man met the two women on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail. They said the man then “physically attacked” the younger woman. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP)

In this image taken from video, a suspect is taken away by two police officers near Neuschwanstein castle in Schwangau, southern Germany, Thursday June 15, 2023. An American man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting two U.S. tourists near Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany and then pushing them down a steep slope, an attack that left one of the women dead, authorities said Thursday. (Eric Abneri via AP)

A view of the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Authorities say an American man has been arrested in Germany after allegedly assaulting two tourists he met near Neuschwanstein castle. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, left one of the women dead. Police said Thursday that the 30-year-old man met the two women on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail. They said the man then “physically attacked” the younger woman. (Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa via AP)

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BERLIN (AP) — Police in southern Germany said Monday that an American tourist who was pushed into a ravine during an attack near Neuschwanstein castle in which her 21-year-old friend was killed has been released from the hospital.

The 22-year-old woman had tried to stop a 30-year-old Michigan man from allegedly assaulting her friend after luring them onto a trail leading to a viewpoint overlooking the famous castle, which draws more than a million tourists every year.

The older woman fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet) down a steep slope but was able to leave the hospital Friday, police spokesperson Holger Stabik said.

Both women were recovered by mountain rescuers shortly after the attack Wednesday, but the younger victim later died of her injuries in the hospital.

The suspect, whose name like those of the victims wasn’t released due to German privacy rules, was arrested shortly after the incident. He is being held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and attempted sexual assault.

Stabik said police have received about two dozen photos and videos on a specially created website and are appealing for anyone with additional images of the suspect and victims to come forward.

Prosecutors said the women did not know the man until the incident.

A spokesperson for the prosecutors’ office in Kempten, Thomas Hörmann, said the investigation into the incident is continuing but it may be three or four months before authorities decide on an indictment.

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Us tourist attempting sexual offense fatally pushes hiker off steep slope near german castle: officials.

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A 30-year-old American man has been arrested in Germany after police said he assaulted two young female tourists and pushed them into a deep ravine near the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, killing one of them.

The violent attack took place Wednesday afternoon near the Marienbruecke bridge spanning a gorge, which offers a world-famous view of the castle.

Police said in a statement that the suspect, who has not been identified, met the two fellow tourists, ages 21 and 22, on a hiking path and lured them onto a trail that leads to an overlook.

The man then attacked the younger of the two women, police said.

When her friend tried to intervene, the American allegedly choked her and pushed her down a steep slope.

The suspect then allegedly tried to sexually assault the 21-year-old woman, before shoving her into the ravine as well.

She plummeted 164 feet and landed near her friend.

Mountain rescuers were able to reach both women at the bottom of the gorge.

The 22-year-old victim was “responsive” and taken to a hospital, police said.

A helicopter airlifted the 21-year-old woman to a different hospital with serious injuries, and she died there overnight.

The suspect fled the scene but was quickly apprehended nearby .

Bystander video posted on Twitter showed cops leading away a handcuffed man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

Witness Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who shot the video, said the man appeared to have scratches across his face.

“He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,” Abneri told The Associated Press. “He just walked with the police and that was it.”

Abneri said he and friends reached the scenic overlook as a helicopter arrived and they witnessed rescuers lower themselves down to the victims.

“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.

Abneri described it as “a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill.”

“They did an unbelievable job,” he said.

Police confirmed that the man they arrested was an American national and described him as a tourist.

Prosecutors said the victims were fellow US citizens.

The 22-year-old who survived the fall remained hospitalized Thursday.

Authorities didn’t identify anyone involved in the fatal incident or give any further details.

Police said a judge on Thursday ordered the suspect jailed pending a potential indictment — a process that can take months.

The 30-year-old is facing charges of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offense.

Police said they and prosecutors were focusing on trying to reconstruct exactly what happened and called for any witnesses to come forward.

Neuschwanstein Castle, located in Bavaria about 65 miles southwest of Munich, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

According the castle’s website, about 1.4 million people visit the picturesque site built in the 19th century every year.

With Post wires

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American Man Jailed for Life Over Rape and Murder of Tourist Near German Castle

FILE PHOTO: A general view shows Neuschwanstein Castle, following a police report of an attack, near Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Ayhan Uyanik/File Photo

By Ayhan Uyanik and Louisa Off

KEMPTEN, Germany (Reuters) - An American man was sentenced to life in prison by a German court on Monday for the rape and murder of a tourist and the attempted murder of her friend, both from the U.S., in a brutal attack near the country's most famous tourist destination.

The attack in June attracted worldwide attention because of the presence of so many visitors at Neuschwanstein Castle, who photographed and streamed the scene as the women were taken by helicopter to hospital.

The man, a 31-year-old tourist from Michigan, identified by the court as Troy B., befriended the two women near the Maria Bridge, which offers a picture-postcard view of the fairytale castle in Bavaria, before luring them away from the public path with the promise of an even better vantage point.

There, in the rugged landscape near the castle, he throttled and raped the 21-year-old woman and threw her 22-year-old friend down a 100-metre ravine when she rushed to help her. The elder of the pair survived with severe injuries, after being caught on a tree branch.

The 21-year-old was also tossed over the ledge after Troy B. raped her. She died in hospital several hours later. The court found that the strangling alone would have been fatal.

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At one point the man used his phone, which prosecutors found full of violent pornography, to film himself strangling her with his belt.

The man was caught later the same day after a massive police search.

"He used her as an object and threw her over the ledge like an object he no longer needed," said the prosecutor while summing up the case against Troy B., according to public broadcaster BR.

The judge at the court in Kempten, southern Germany, sentenced the man to life imprisonment, noting that the crime was one of "particular gravity" - a finding that means the perpetrator will not receive automatic parole after 15 years as is the case for non-aggravated murder.

The man did not contest the charge of murdering the 21-year-old, but did seek a finding that the murder was not aggravated.

The conviction can be appealed, and B. can apply to serve his sentence in the U.S., though his lawyer said he had advised the defendant not to do so, since conditions of detention in Germany were better.

Neuschwanstein Castle, about 105 km (65 miles) southwest of Munich, is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, attracting some 1.4 million visitors a year.

(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Rachel More and Lucy Marks)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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American tourist dies after attack near Germany's famous Neuschwanstein castle

BERLIN -- An American tourist was killed and another was injured when they were attacked by an American man they met near the famous Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany, authorities said Thursday.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon in the German state of Bavaria near the Marienbruecke, a pedestrian bridge popular for its stunning view of Neuschwanstein. Nestled on the edge of the Bavarian Alps, the 19th-century palace was the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty." Two women, ages 21 and 22, met a 30-year-old man on a hiking trail east of the bridge who then lured them onto a path that led to a viewpoint, according to a statement from the Bavarian State Police.

The man then "physically attacked" the younger woman, police said. When the other woman tried to intervene, the man choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. He then apparently attempted to sexually assault the 21-year-old before also pushing her down the slope. Both women fell nearly 50 meters (165 feet), according to police.

A mountain rescue service from the nearby town of Fuessen rescued both women. The 22-year-old was injured but responsive and taken to a hospital. The 21-year-old suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital, where she died overnight, police said.

The suspect had left the scene but was arrested close by soon after, according to police.

Although the names of the suspect and the victims have not yet been released, a Bavarian State Police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that all three were American tourists.

The suspect appeared before a judge in the nearby town of Kempten on Thursday and was ordered to be held in jail pending a potential indictment. He is under investigation on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and sexual offense, according to police.

Police have called for any witnesses to come forward as they continue to investigate the alleged attack.

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