American man throws two American women into ravine near famous German castle

An American man hurled two female American tourists 50 meters into a ravine near a world-famous German castle – killing one after he sexually assaulted her and her companion tried to fight him, reports show.

The gruesome attack took place Wednesday at Neuschwanstein Castle, said to be the inspiration for Disney’s “Cinderella” castle. The man was later arrested and is being investigated for murder, attempted murder and one sex offense.

Footage from the scene would show him being taken away in handcuffs.

The two women, aged 21 and 22, met the man, 30, at the Marienbrücke Bridge, a narrow walkway that rises 300 feet above the gorge at its highest point and offers sweeping views of the castle.

The man allegedly persuaded them to follow him down a secluded trail that led to a good vantage point, where he “physically assaulted” the 21-year-old.

When her boyfriend tried to intervene, he allegedly strangled her and pushed her down a steep slope. The police assume that an ‘attempted sex offense’ was then committed against the 21-year-old before she was also pushed off the slope.

She fell about 50 meters below her friend. The pair were airlifted away, but the 21-year-old woman died overnight in a hospital, while her 22-year-old companion is still being treated for her injuries, according to German media reports.

The suspect fled, but was caught on Wednesday afternoon after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency services and taken to a police station in nearby Füssen, it added.

A witness video posted online showed a man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap being led away in handcuffs by police, while another clip showed one of the victims being lifted out of the ravine by a mountain rescue helicopter.

The video – filmed from above the canyon – also showed officials from the German mountain rescue service below in the canyon, working to rescue the women.

According to local police, the pair encountered the 30-year-old American tourist on a trail on or near the Marienbrücke, which is hugely popular as it offers a view of the 19th-century Neuschwanstein Castle – which attracts about 1.4 million visitors a year. , and about 6,000 a day in the summer.

He then led them to a hidden path that led to a lookout point, and attacked the 21-year-old, police said. When the 22-year-old intervened, the man strangled her and pushed her down a steep slope.

“According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sex crime against the 21-year-old must be assumed,” the police said in a statement in English.

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

The detective has taken over the investigation of attempted murder and murder, as well as a sexual offense, with the current focus on reconstructing exactly how the incident happened, police said.

Under German law, suspects must be brought before a judge in a closed-door hearing before the end of the calendar day after their arrest if detectives intend to keep them in custody.

Police said a judge in nearby Kempten on Thursday ordered him to be held pending a possible charge and that he be taken to prison.

Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told Bild: “The crime took place around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday. The two tourists met the man during a walking tour east of the Marienbrücke. And joined him.’

He said the trio walked to a popular vantage point, where the man physically assaulted the 21-year-old women. Her boyfriend fought back, he said.

“The 22-year-old wanted to help, so he strangled her and pushed her down the slope.”

Mr Hörmann said the 21-year-old also fell into the ravine where they lay side by side at around ‘a depth of about 50 meters’ (165ft).

The 22-year-old responded, according to the prosecutor. Her friend was airlifted to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead overnight.

The motive for the attack is still unclear, while all parties remain nameless.

A man who witnessed the aftermath of the incident told MailOnline that he saw a man “with a bloodied face” being led away from the attraction in handcuffs.

Eric Abneri, a 21-year-old tourist from New York, said he and his friends arrived at the castle on Wednesday afternoon when they heard the sound of a helicopter overhead.

Abneri filmed footage of the helicopter and the man being led away.

“We saw two or three men push off (in the ravine) and were confused, until I saw the woman in blue who we thought had fallen.

“They saved the woman. I’m not sure who was alive and the helicopter flew off and then came back before the other rescuers. Shortly afterwards we went back to see the bridge and it was closed with the police present.’

Mr Abneri said a large police force was on the scene. “We waited and a man with a bloodied face came out handcuffed,” he said.

Police interviewed witnesses to the attack “who looked shocked,” he added, saying the bridge was later reopened to the public.

The construction of Neuschwanstein Castle was completed in 1886 after almost 20 years. It is located in the Swabia region of Bavaria, close to the Alps and the Austrian border.

It was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who wanted a holiday home to escape from the Bavarian capital of Munich.

He paid for the castle from his personal fortune and through extensive loans, but he never saw it completed. He died in 1886, shortly before it opened.

Since then, more than 61 million people have visited it.