An American man was sentenced to life in prison in a German court on Monday following his conviction for the rape and murder of a U.S. tourist, along with the attempted murder of her friend.
The brutal assault took place near the country's well known tourist destination, Neuschwanstein Castle. The attack quickly became a worldwide spectacle as a large crowd of visitors photographed and live-streamed the scene as the women were airlifted to the hospital.
Recognized by the court as Troy B., the individual in question, a 31-year-old tourist from Michigan, befriended the two women near the Maria Bridge. He was able to lure them away from the public path by enticing them under the premise of an even more spectacular vantage point.
It was there where he attacked and raped the 21-year-old woman and then threw her 22-year-old friend down a 100-metre ravine when she became aware of the situation and attempted rescue efforts.
After getting caught on a tree branch, the 22-year-old woman managed to survive the incident with severe injuries.
The 21-year-old had also been thrown over the ledge after Troy B. raped her. She died in hospital several hours later. The court found that the strangling alone would have been fatal, reported Reuters.
The suspect allegedly used his cellphone to film himself strangling the woman with his belt, according to prosecutors who also found the device filled with violent pornography.
After a massive manhunt was issued, the man was later apprehended by police that same day.
"He used her as an object and threw her over the ledge like an object he no longer needed," said the prosecutor while summing up the case against Troy B., according to public broadcaster BR.
In Kempten, southern Germany, the judge delivered a life imprisonment verdict, citing the "particular gravity" of the crime.
The perpetrator will not be eligible for automatic parole after 15 years, a privilege typically associated with non-aggravated murder cases.
He did not challenge the accusation of murdering the 21-year-old but did seek a ruling that states the murder was not of an aggravated nature, revealed Reuters.
While the conviction is open to appeal, B. can also seek to serve his sentence in the U.S. However, his lawyer advised against it, emphasizing the more favorable conditions of detention in Germany.
Neuschwanstein Castle, about 105 km (65 miles) southwest of Munich, is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, attracting some 1.4 million visitors a year.
