Man admits to attacking 2 U.S. tourists and killing one of them near a German castle

An American man admitted on Monday to charges of murder and rape after allegedly pushing two U.S. women down a ravine, resulting in fatal injuries for one of them near Germany’s Neuschwanstein castle last year.

According to the German news agency dpa, the 31-year-old defendant confessed to the charges at the beginning of his trial. Defendants in the German legal system do not formally enter pleas to charges.

Defense lawyer Philip Mueller stated, “The defendant has committed an unfathomable crime.” The defendant, whose name has not been released in accordance with German privacy rules, affirmed the accuracy of his lawyer’s statement but declined to answer any questions.

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

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

Prosecutors allege that the defendant encountered the two female tourists, aged 21 and 22, by chance on a hiking path and lured them off the trail. They stated in a release that he apparently first forced the younger woman to the ground and attempted to undress her. When the elder woman tried to intervene, a scuffle broke out, and the suspect allegedly pushed her down a steep slope. Although she fell approximately 50 meters and sustained a head injury, bruises, and grazes, she survived.

The suspect then allegedly strangled the younger woman until she lost consciousness and raped her, prosecutors said, before also pushing her down the slope, resulting in her death.

Prosecutors revealed that they obtained a laptop and cellphones from the suspect containing child sexual abuse material.

Authorities assert that the women were not acquainted with the man before encountering him near Neuschwanstein. The suspect was arrested shortly after the attack.

A verdict is anticipated to be delivered no earlier than mid-March.