Deadly Assault at Neuschwanstein Castle: American Man Arrested for Murder and Sexual Assault
Following a tragic incident near Neuschwanstein Castle, an iconic tourist attraction in Germany, an American man has been apprehended on suspicion of murder and sexual assault. The attack occurred when the man allegedly assaulted two American women, throwing them down a 50-meter ravine. One of the victims, a 21-year-old woman, succumbed to her severe injuries overnight, while her 22-year-old companion remains hospitalized in critical condition.
According to Bavarian state prosecutor Thomas Hörmann, the assault occurred on Wednesday afternoon near Marienbrücke, a bridge offering a renowned view of Neuschwanstein. The perpetrator had met the two women on a nearby trail before leading them to a viewing point, where the attack took place. Hörmann stated that investigators are operating under the assumption that the assault was sexually motivated.
After physically attacking the 21-year-old victim, the assailant allegedly strangled her when the 22-year-old attempted to intervene, pushing both women down the ravine. Witnesses reported discovering the victims lying side by side 50 meters below the trail. A mountain rescue team from Füssen retrieved the women and airlifted them to a nearby clinic.
The perpetrator fled the scene but was swiftly apprehended during a large-scale police operation. A witness video circulating online captured the moment when the suspect, dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, was taken into custody by the authorities.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Kempten Criminal Investigative Police and the local Alpine taskforce, are conducting a thorough investigation into charges of murder, attempted murder, and sexual assault. The suspect appeared before a Kempten judge and is currently held in custody.
Neuschwanstein Castle and the accessible Marienbrücke remain open to visitors, generally operating despite the tragic incident. The castle, built on a rock ledge above the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps, was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1868 as a medieval castle replica. Although the construction was never completed, the castle now attracts approximately 1.4 million tourists annually.
