An American tourist has been charged with the rape and murder of a student who died after being thrown down a ravine at the ‘Cinderella’ castle in Germany.
Troy Bohling was also found to have child pornography on his phone and laptop after being arrested at the scene of the horrific incident.
The 31-year-old has been charged with the murder of 21-year-old Eva Liu.
He is also charged with the attempted murder of her 22-year-old friend Kelsey Chang.
The two recent American graduates had met Bohling as they visited one of Germany’s most famous tourist spots, the Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria.
Troy Bohling being led away by the police in handcuffs. He fled the scene but was caught after a police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles
The Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria. It said Bohling had never met the two women before bumping into them on a hiking trail with views across the castle said to be the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle
After luring them away from a hiking trail to a vantage point he pounced on Ms Liu and threw her to the ground where he attempted to rip her clothes off and carry out ‘sexual acts’, according to the statement. When her friend went to try and help, he threw her down a steep slope ‘knowing she would be fatally injured’Â
The incident took place in June and Bohling, from Lincoln Park, Michigan, was arrested immediately at the scene.
In accordance with German law, he has not been officially identified by police but sources gave his name as Bohling.
Other tourists witnessed the assault and later filmed Bohling as he was led away in handcuffs by police.
A statement from the Kempten public prosecutor’s office revealed the full shocking details of the attack.
It said Bohling had never met the two women before bumping into them on a hiking trail with views across the castle said to be the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle.
After luring them away from a hiking trail to a vantage point he pounced on Ms Liu and threw her to the ground where he attempted to rip her clothes off and carry out ‘sexual acts’, according to the statement.
When her friend went to try and help, he threw her down a steep slope ‘knowing she would be fatally injured.’
Bohling has been charged with the murder of 21-year-old Eva Liu (left). He is also charged with the attempted murder of her 22-year-old friend Kelsey Chang (right)
The castle where Illinois university graduate Eva Liu was killed is in Bavaria close to the Austrian border
He then raped and strangled Ms Liu before also throwing her body down the slope where she slammed into a tree.
Liu died from her injuries while her friend survived with a head injury and bruises.
Both women were flown by air ambulance to hospital where Liu was pronounced dead.
As part of the investigation police seized the suspect’s laptop and mobile phone where they found child porn.
Under German law Bohlin has not entered a plea and is still being held in custody.
A spokesman for the Kempten prosecutors said charges of murder, rape resulting in death, attempted murder with grievous bodily harm and possession of child pornography will be put before the court.
Liu, from Naperville, Illinois and Chang, from Bloomington, Illinois, were on a European trip of a lifetime having graduated University of Illinois.
The college confirmed the death of Liu.
No date has been set for Bohling’s first appearance.
Bohling lived with his brother Trevor in a single-story house about 20 minutes from Detroit.
Neighbors described him as ‘quiet’ and not very friendly and said the brothers were often away for long periods of time.
They assumed the pair worked in oil fields.
When contacted his parents denied he was in Germany.
