A man has admitted to attacking two young American women and killing one of them in Germany over the summer, multiple German news outlets are reporting.
The 31-year-old American man, who has not been identified under German privacy rules, admitted to charges of murder and rape at the start of his trial on Monday, according to the German news outlet Deutsche Welle. Defendants in the German legal system do not enter pleas, according to the Associated Press.
The man is accused of luring two American women, 21 and 22, who were hiking near Neuschwanstein castle to a trail near Marienbrücke bridge, where he’s accused of trying to undress the 21-year-old and throwing the 22-year-old down a 165-foot slope when she tried to help her friend, according to the Associated Press.
The man, who did not know the women, is then accused of choking the 21-year-old old to unconsciousness and raping her before throwing her down the same slope.
The 22-year-old suffered severe injuries but survived, while the 21-year-old was killed.
‘An unfathomable crime’
The defendant is charged with murder, rape resulting in death, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and possession of child pornography according to Deutsche Welle.
“The defendant has committed an unfathomable crime,” the man’s defense lawyer, Philip Mueller, said in a court statement, according to the Associated Press. The man confirmed his lawyer’s statement but did not answer questions.
The trial is set to take place in the German town of Kempten and a verdict is expected in mid-March, according to Deutsche Welle. In Germany, murder charges carry a maximum of life in prison, AP reported.
The alleged crimes took place near Neuschwanstein castle, one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations.
