A woman from Naperville, Illinois, traveling with a friend in Germany was assaulted and killed by a U.S. man last week, according to reports.
How it started: Eva Liu, 21, and her friend, Kelsey Chang, 22, went on a hike on Wednesday near Bavaria’s Marienbrücke bridge, which offers spectacular views of the historic Neuschwanstein Castle. Along the way, they met a 30-year-old U.S. man who asked them to follow him on a hidden trail that led to a viewpoint.
The assault begins: After luring the women, the suspect, who was also a tourist, allegedly started to attack Liu. Chang attempted to intervene but was choked by the man and thrown down a steep slope where she fell approximately 164 feet. She managed to hang on a fallen tree. Police say the man then attempted to sexually assault Liu before shoving her next down the slope.
The aftermath: Mountain rescue services located the women by afternoon. Liu was airlifted to a hospital and died of her injuries the following day. Chang, on the other hand, was able to speak to her rescuers. She was taken to a separate hospital and has since been recovering.
About the suspect: The assailant, who has not been identified, had reportedly been staying at the same hotel as his victims. He was arrested shortly after the incident. A witness said he was found with bloody scratches but said nothing to authorities. He now faces murder, attempted murder and attempted sexual offense.
About the victims: Liu and Chang both recently graduated from the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign. Liu received her bachelor’s degree in computer science, and Chang in computer engineering.
A spokesperson from the university released a statement in response to the tragedy that read:
I can confirm that Kelsey Chang was awarded a BS in Computer Engineering in May 2023, and Eva Y. Liu was awarded a BS in Computer Science in May 2023. Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on Ms. Chang. Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome. Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.
