Tourist, 31, ‘who raped student and threw her and friend off bridge’ at ‘Cinderella’ castle is charged with murder
A TOURIST who allegedly raped a student before throwing her and her friend off a bridge at an idyllic castle has been charged with murder.
The 31-year-old US native committed the alleged crime in June near Germany's Neuschwanstein Castle, known as the Cinderella castle.
He targeted two American women, allegedly trying to rape them.
One of the US tourists was killed after the sex fiend reportedly threw her into a ravine at the famous attraction alongside her pal who tried to fight him off.
Now four months later, the Kempten public prosecutor's office announced that the 31-year-old was accused of murder and attempted murder, German outlet reports.
The man is also accused of rape resulting in death, grievous bodily harm and possession of child pornography.
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Corresponding files were said to have been on the confiscated cell phone and the man's computer.
The Kempten regional court must now examine the charges and decide whether the case will be heard publicly, Noz.de reports.
There is no court date yet.
Eva Liu, 21, from Naperville, Illinois, was a university student on a trip of a lifetime after graduation.
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Eva tragically died after being airlifted to hospital while her friend Kelsey Chang, 22, managed to survive with a few bruises.
The duo graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign last month with computer science and computer engineering degrees.
Associate chancellor of UIUC Robin Kaler described the death as "senseless" in a statement.
She told : "Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on Ms Chang.
"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."
Cops said Kelsey rushed over to help her - but the suspect allegedly strangled her and pushed her over the railing of the bridge.
He then allegedly tried to sexually assault Eva before also shoving her down the steep 160ft slope.
Both women landed down the ravine just a few feet away from each other.
The 30-year-old suspect fled the scene but he was caught after cops and rescue teams launched a huge operation.
Footage showed a handcuffed man in a t-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap being led away by officers.
Eric Abneri, a business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who took the video, said the man appeared to have scratches across his face.
He said: He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth - he didn’t mumble.
"He just walked with the police and that was it."
Abneri said he and his friends reached the scenic viewpoint as a chopper arrived.
"I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this," he said.
"It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff."
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.
In June, Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told : "The crime happened on Wednesday [June 14] around 2.40pm.
"The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke. And joined him.
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"He physically attacked the 21-year-old. The 22-year-old wanted to help, so he choked her and pushed her down the slope."
Neuschwanstein Castle, which sits on a rock ledge, was built in the 19th century and boasts more than a million visitors a year.
