An American man was arrested in the German state of Bavaria on Wednesday after he allegedly attacked two young women — both fellow Americans — and threw them 165 feet down a ravine at Neuschwanstein castle, believed to have been the inspiration for Disney’s iconic “Cinderella” castle.
According to the Daily Mail, the unnamed 30-year-old man was staying at the same hotel as his victims, the Seibel Hotel, which offers budget accommodations in the center of Munich, roughly 50 miles from the castle.
(Video: YouTube)
The man met the young women, aged 21 and 22, near the picturesque Marienbrücke bridge, which stretches 300 feet above the tourist-heavy gorge, offering visitors stunning views of the castle, the Daily Mail reported.
With promises of a good lookout spot, the man reportedly led the girls down a secluded trail and “physically attacked” 21-year-old Eva Liu, of Naperville, Illinois.
Liu’s 22-year-old friend tried to fight the assailant off, but he allegedly choked her and pushed her down a steep slope. Police believe he then attempted a “sexual offense” against Liu before throwing her, too, over the side.
The women were airlifted to a hospital, but Liu died from her injuries.
Her friend, who is not being named out of concern that she, too, was the victim of a sexual attack, miraculously survived the 165-foot fall “with only bruises and a laceration,” the Daily Mail reports.
Liu and her friend were in Germany celebrating their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).
“I’m thrilled to announce that I have graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Computer Science (MCS) degrees,” Liu proudly posted to her LinkedIn account a month ago. “The past four years have been an incredible experience and I’m thankful for all of the wonderful opportunities and internships that have been pivotal in my academic and professional journey, including my experience as a participant and Teaching Assistant of the Engineering City Scholars program.”
“I’m extremely grateful,” she added, “for all my friends, family, mentors, and faculty that have supported me and helped shape my educational and personal development.”
Robin Kaler, UIUC’s associate chancellor, called Liu’s death “senseless.”
“Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on (the other graduate),” she said in a statement.
According to the Daily Mail, “The US State Department said they are aware of the incident and their consulate in Munich is monitoring the situation closely.”
“Spokesman Matthew Miller said they were in close contact with the German authorities,” the outlet added.
The alleged killer fled the scene. After “a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles” he was caught and taken to a police station in nearby Fuessen.
“The suspect didn’t make any comments to police but in his hearing in court yesterday he did have his say in regards to remaining in custody,” a spokesman for the Bavarian police told MailOnline. “We don’t want to say exactly what he said, however.”
Meanwhile, Kempten police are urging visitors to the castle on that day to come forward.
“We are looking for photographs which, by chance, show two young women and a man (approximately 30 years old) who were staying east of the Marienbruecke,” the authorities said on their website. “These persons may have been walking together or separately.”
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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