tourist killed in germany castle

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.

US tourist killed after man pushed her off steep slope at popular castle in Germany, police say

BERLIN — An American man has been arrested over the death of one 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.

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

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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 50 meters (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 with serious injuries to a different hospital, and she died there overnight.The suspect left the scene but was quickly arrested nearby. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who took 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 saw rescuers lower themselves down to the victims.

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"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

The Associated Press

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.

• neuschwanstein

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 man indicted on murder charges over deadly attack on 2 U.S. women near German castle

October 26, 2023 / 9:06 AM EDT / CBS/AP

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.

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 by saying he could show them a secret viewpoint, CBS News previously reported . Prosecutors 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.  At the time , police told the press that a "witness tip in the immediate vicinity of the crime" led to his arrest. Police reportedly recieved dozens of photos and videos on a website meant to help them collate tips. 

Eric Abneri, a man who was visiting the castle on a trip from New York, captured video of the suspect's arrest. He said the man had some injuries at the time of his arrest. 

"His face was covered in deep red scratch marks and his neck as well," Abneri told CBS News . "There was clearly a struggle there, and he just had a frown on his face. He didn't say anything. He had a sort of disturbed look."

Neuschwanstein, located 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. It was the inspiration for the design of the castle in Disney's "Cinderella."  

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American man charged with murder after attack on US women in Germany

The recent college graduates were visiting Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria when man allegedly shoved them down a steep slope

Two US women who had just earned computer-related college degrees had gone to southern Germany to celebrate when a fellow American whom they met while hiking shoved them both down a steep slope last week, killing one and seriously wounding the other, according to officials.

Eva Liu, 21, had received her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in May. Authorities say she was sexually assaulted and pushed to her death near Neuschwanstein Castle, a famous tourist destination in Bavaria. Her 22-year-old friend Kelsey Chang had also just graduated from the same school with a bachelor’s in computer engineering – reports say she was attacked, too, but survived.

Liu and Chang’s alma mater issued a statement to news media outlets which lamented that the pair of friends were not “able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without … such a tragic outcome”.

“Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms Liu and the attack on Ms Chang,” the school’s statement read. “Our thoughts are with Ms Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.”

Before they became ensnared in the latest travel abroad horror story to grip the US, Liu and Chang attended the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in the Chicago suburb of Aurora and befriended each other. They had decided to vacation together in Germany as a reward for completing their undergraduate college work, and they were hiking on their trip when their paths crossed that of a 30-year-old American man.

The man – who has not been publicly identified – lured the friends to a trail that leads to the Marienbrücke, or Mary’s Bridge. The Marienbrücke is a popular vantage point for pictures of Neuschwanstein, the most famous of the castles which King Ludwig II of Bavaria built in the 19th century.

On the trail leading there, the man assailed Liu, and Chang tried to help her friend stave the attack off, authorities said. The man then pushed Chang down a slope, tried to sexually assault Liu, and then shoved her down the slope as well, according to officials.

Liu fell about 165ft (50 meters) and died after rescuers flew her to a hospital. A tree reportedly broke Chang’s fall, and she was later reported to be responsive and recovering at the hospital where rescue crews took her.

Police jailed the alleged attacker on charges of murder and attempted murder. They later asked castle visitors to send any photos or videos they may have taken at the time of Liu and Chang’s attack.

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As of late last week, that appeal had generated about a dozen submissions on a website specially designed for that purpose.

In an interview with the Illinois television station WLS, a neighbor of Liu’s family described herself as heartbroken over the news out of Germany.

“I’m very upset … my daughter travels overseas and stuff too, and I just can’t even believe what people are capable of doing any more,” said Debbie Krull. “You really worry bad.”

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American victims in deadly tourist attack by German castle identified as recent Illinois university graduates

Eva liu, 21, and kelsey chang, 22, had travelled to germany following their may graduation, article bookmarked.

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Two American women who were attacked while they hiked a trail near a famous castle in Germany have been identified.

Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DailyMail.com first reported.

A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent that Ms Chang and Liu were shoved down into a ravine near the historic Neuschwanstein Castle in the German state of Bavaria on Wednesday . Liu died as a result of injuries she sustained during the 164ft fall, while Ms Chang remains in hospital.

Bavarian police said in a statement on Thursday that the victims joined a man along a trail just moments before the attack. He reportedly tried to sexually assault them before pushing them down a steep gorge. A 30-year-old American man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and sexual offences.

“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome,” the office of the university chancellor said. “Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.”

• German castle attack — latest: American victims in deadly Neuschwanstein tourist attack are named
• A famous castle, attempted sex assault and a deadly shove: What happened to the American women thrown off a German cliff?

Just weeks before the tragedy, Liu was awarded a computer science degree, while Ms Chang received a bachelor’s in computer engineering.

Liu had landed a role as a software engineer at Microsoft after finishing an internship with the company during her last semester, she wrote in a LinkedIn post.

On Wednesday afternoon, the two women were on a hiking trail east of the Marienbrücke Bridge, an attraction just an hour’s drive from Munich that is popular among visitors for its sweeping views of Neuschwanstein Castle. They met a man and joined him on the hike, police said.

“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement . “According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed.”

Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack Liu, prompting Ms Chang to try and defend her, police said.

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

Both women were shoved down 164 feet into a ravine. Liu was airlifted to a hospital in serious condition and died on Thursday night.

Ms Chang suffered bruises and lacerations to her head but much of the impact was blunted by a tree, according to the Mail.

She was transported to a hospital and was still recovering as of Friday morning.

Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports . Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.

The victims and their alleged attacker had reportedly stayed at the budget Seibel Hotel in Munich, staff told the Mail .

The suspect appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.

Following protocol, German authorities will not release the name of the suspect in the early stages of the investigation.

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A young tourist who was sexually assaulted then fatally thrown into a ravine near a world-famous “Cinderella”-style castle in Germany was identified Friday as a 21-year-old recent University of Illinois graduate, authorities said Friday.

Eva Liu, of Naperville, Ill., was killed while visiting the Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau Wednesday afternoon, when a 30-year-old man pushed her off the 165-foot gorge in a stunning attack, police and school officials said.

Liu had traveled to the castle — a tourist hotspot believed to have inspired the palace in Disney’s “Cinderella” movie — with classmate Kelsey Chang, 22, who was also thrown off the cliff by the assailant but survived, the officials said.

“Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on Ms. Chang,” associate chancellor of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Robin Kaler told the UK Mirror .

“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome.”

The unidentified American suspect — who was reportedly staying at the same hotel as the college grads — was arrested Wednesday after allegedly luring the women to a trail that led to an overlook, then “physically attacking” Liu, police said.

When Chang tried to help, he allegedly choked her and pushed her off the side of the steep cliff, where a tree broke her fall, according to authorities.

He allegedly then tried to sexually assault Liu before fatally shoving her into the gorge, where she suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.

She was pronounced dead the following day. 

Chang only suffered minor injuries from the long fall, police told the Daily Mail Friday . Footage appears to show her hanging onto a fallen tree partway down steep slope.

The young women had been staying at the same hotel as the attacker, The Seibel in Munich, but didn’t know him, the outlet reported.

Chang was recovering in the hospital Friday, according to German media reports.

“The two tourists happened to meet the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke and joined him,” Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told the German newspaper, Bild .

The suspect was held on murder, attempted murder and sexual assault charges, authorities said.

Witness Eric Abneri said the suspect appeared to have bloody scratches across his face, and said nothing as police arrested him.

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

A bridge near the castle, which draws a total of 1.4 million visitors each year, was temporarily closed due to the incident.

The castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who hid out there after losing in the Austro-Prussian war in 1866.

With Post wires

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German police arrest a Russian man in connection with the fatal stabbings of 2 Ukrainian men

German police say two Ukrainian men have been stabbed to death.

BERLIN -- Two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany, police said Sunday, and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings.

The two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria. Shortly after the slayings on Saturday evening, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder, German news agency dpa reported.

The names of the victims and the suspect weren't released in line with German privacy rules. The possible motive for the killings wasn't yet known, authorities said. It also wasn't clear if the three men knew each other.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

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Russian man arrested after two Ukrainians stabbed to death in Germany

German police say two Ukrainian men have been stabbed to death at a shopping centre in southern Germany. A Russian man has been arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings.

Sunday 28 April 2024 19:14, UK

A Russian man has been arrested after two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany.

The two Ukrainians were killed at a shopping centre in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria.

They were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Shortly after the killings on Saturday evening, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder, German news agency DPA reported.

The names of the victims and the suspect were not released in line with German privacy rules. It is not clear if the three men knew each other.

More than one million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Read more: Ukraine refugees reveal new lives and near-death experiences Ukrainians on what the refugee scheme extension means for them

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The majority arrived in the first three months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to Germany's federal statistical office.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

By October 2022, Ukrainian citizens were the second largest foreign population in Germany after Turkish nationals.

Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

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German police arrest a Russian man in connection with the fatal stabbings of 2 Ukrainian men

Flowers and a small Ukrainian flag are laid at a shopping center in Murnau, Germany, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Police say two Ukrainian men have been stabbed to death in southern Germany and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings. German news agency dpa reported Sunday that the two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria. (Constanze Wilz/dpa via AP)

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BERLIN (AP) — Two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany, police said Sunday, and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings.

The two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria. Shortly after the slayings on Saturday evening, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder, German news agency dpa reported.

The names of the victims and the suspect weren’t released in line with German privacy rules. The possible motive for the killings wasn’t yet known, authorities said. It also wasn’t clear if the three men knew each other.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.