An American is suspected of attacking and sexually assaulting two women near a popular castle in Germany, local authorities said Thursday.
One of the women died from injuries sustained during the attack at the tourist hotspot, which inspired the Disney castle in Sleeping Beauty.
A 30-year-old U.S. national fled the scene after the attack on Wednesday, in which the suspect allegedly attempted to sexually assault two female tourists before pushing them off a steep slope into a ravine near the Marienbruecke bridge.
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Officials have not released the name of the suspect or the victims. According to unconfirmed information in the German tabloid Bild, the two women are also American.
The man allegedly came across his victims on the route to the bridge—which is known for its views of the Neuschwanstein Castle—and they joined him along the trail.
“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement.
There, authorities say the man attacked the younger woman, aged 21, before her 22-year-old companion came to her aid.
The suspect allegedly pushed the older woman down the slope before strangling the younger woman and her pushing her into the ravine as well.
A large manhunt for the suspect was launched on Wednesday afternoon involving a police helicopter and a service dog handler. The man was ultimately caught near the scene of the crime and he is now in custody. He is being investigated on suspicion of a sexual offense, murder, and attempted murder.
After being reached by Füssen mountain rescue service personnel, the two women were taken to hospital. The 21-year-old woman died in hospital overnight, authorities said, while the 22-year-old remains hospitalized with serious injuries.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Berlin did not confirm or deny to The Daily Beast that the victims are American. “We are aware of an incident involving multiple individuals in Germany,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“The U.S. Consulate in Munich is monitoring the situation closely and is in contact with authorities. Due to privacy considerations, we are unable to comment further at this time.”
Read it at DW
