MI Man Investigated For Murder After Attack By German Castle: Police

SCHWANGAU, GERMANY — German authorities placed a Michigan man in custody on suspicion that he pushed two American tourists Wednesday off a steep slope outside a castle, killing one of them.

German police believe the man lured Eva Liu and Kelsey Chang — both Illinois residents — toward the vantage point before pushing them off the 165-foot slope. Both women were taken to the hospital, where Liu, 21, died from her injuries. Chang, 22, left the hospital Friday.

The man was arrested shortly after the incident. German authorities haven't publicly identified the suspect — a 30-year-old Michigan resident — because of the nation's privacy rules.

The man is being held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and attempted sexual assault. The investigation remains ongoing, but may take three or four months before officials decide on an indictment, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office in Kempten told the Associated Press.

Both women were tourists and didn't previously know the man, according to German prosecutors. They were hiking near the historic "Marienbrücke" — a bridge known for its views of the Neuschwanstein Castle, ABC reported.

German police say it appears the man lured Liu and Chang toward the Marienbrücke vantage point while they were hiking. He then attacked Liu, which prompted Chang to intervene. The man pushed Chang off the 165-foot slope and tried to sexually assault Liu before pushing her off the slope as well, authorities said.

The women had been visiting Germany shortly after graduating from the University of Illinois.

The AP contributed to this report.