Michigan man sentenced to life in German prison for murder, rape of American tourist near famed castle
An American man from Michigan was convicted of murder and other charges on Monday for brutally attacking two American women near Germany’s famed Neuschwanstein castle.
Troy Phillip Bohling, 31, was accused of luring two female tourists, Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, whom he met along a hiking path off the trail, promising to show the two recent University of Illinois graduates an idyllic spot for taking selfies near the Marienbruecke, a bridge over a gorge with a view of the castle, one of Germany’s most famous tourist attractions.
Prosecutors said he apparently first forced Liu to the ground and tried to undress her in the June 14, 2023, attack. When Chang tried to help her, a scuffle ensued, and he allegedly pushed her down a steep slope. She fell about 165 feet and sustained a head injury, bruises and grazes, but survived.
MICHIGAN MAN ADMITS TO ATTACKING 2 US TOURISTS, KILLING 1, NEAR FAMOUS GERMAN CASTLE
Bohling then allegedly strangled the younger woman until she was unconscious and raped her. Prosecutors said he then pushed Liu down the slope as well. She died later in a hospital. Defendants in the German legal system do not formally enter pleas to charges, although Bohling reportedly admitted to the crimes at the start of the trial on Feb. 19,
"He disposed of her like a bag of garbage," presiding judge Christoph Schwiebacher said as he announced the verdict on Monday, according to the German news agency dpa.
The Kempten state court on Monday convicted Bohling of murder, attempted murder and rape with fatal consequences.
Schwiebacher determined that the defendant bears particularly severe guilt, meaning that he likely will not be eligible for release after 15 years as is usually the case in Germany. The judge described the defendant as "incredibly callous" and said that "a release after 15 years would not be justifiable."
The court found that the defendant wanted to keep video footage and a photo he had made of his actions — material that became important evidence to investigators — as a "trophy."
Police officers arrested him near the scene of the attack. The victims were recovered from the ravine by a helicopter.
During the course of the investigation, authorities found Bohling's laptop and cellphone contained child pornography.
In line with German privacy laws, German authorities did not identify the perpetrator or the victims, but both the suspect and victims were named in reports and by friends and family.
Fox News' Stepheny Price and the Associated Press contributed to this report.