American Tourist Indicted For Murder After Pushing Woman Off Cliff Near German Castle

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A man who is probably white accused of assaulting two American tourists near a castle in Bavaria this summer has been indicted on murder and several other charges, after officials say he raped a 21-year-old woman on a hiking path and pushed her and another tourist down a steep slope, killing one.

The man, a 31-year-old American who has not been named, was indicted on charges of murder, rape with fatal consequences, attempted murder and possession of child pornography in Germany on Thursday.

A mountain rescue team recovered both women, the younger of whom had "serious injuries" and died that night; the other was injured but survived.

The attack on the two women, ages 21 and 22, allegedly happened on a secluded hiking path near the popular Neuschwanstein castle in Germany, where the suspect promised to show the women a secret viewpoint before forcing one to the ground and trying to undress her, police said according to CBS.

When the other woman tried to help, he allegedly pushed her down a 165-foot slope before strangling the 21-year-old until she was unconscious, raping her and pushing her down the slope.

A mountain rescue team recovered both women, the younger of whom had "serious injuries" and died that night; the other was injured but survived.

The man ran from the scene but was later arrested, with one witness telling CBS News the suspect's face "was covered in deep red scratch marks and his neck as well... He had a sort of disturbed look."

The man ran from the scene but was later arrested, with one witness telling CBS News the suspect's face "was covered in deep red scratch marks and his neck as well... He had a sort of disturbed look."

Police later found the man’s laptop and cellphones, which allegedly contained child sexual abuse material.

The indictment was filed at the state court in Kempten, Germany, about 30 miles from the castle, and local prosecutors will have to decide if the case will be sent to trial.

Neuschwanstein Castle is said to be the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle. Roughly 1.4 million people visit = every year, including up to 6,000 per day in the busy summer season. The three-story, 19th century castle is just north of the Austrian border and was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the late 1800s. The king died before construction was finished, and it was opened to the public shortly after his death in 1886. The building includes a Throne Room with murals depicting scenes from Richard Wagner’s operas, an elaborately decorated bedroom with a marble fireplace and a large, central courtyard.