Life Sentence for Downriver Resident Convicted of Rape and Murder near ‘Cinderella Castle’ in Germany
In a recent trial near one of Germany’s renowned tourist sites, Troy Bohling, a Lincoln Park native, confessed to charges of murder, attempted murder, and rape resulting in death, leading to a life imprisonment sentence.
According to FOX 2 (WJBK), a Downriver man, Troy Bohling, has been handed a life sentence for assaulting two American women outside a castle in Germany. The trial commenced last month, implicating Bohling from Lincoln Park.
The judge ruled that Bohling displayed an exceptionally grave level of culpability, making him unlikely to be considered for parole after the standard 15-year period in Germany. The judge denounced the defendant’s demeanor as “extremely callous” and deemed a release after 15 years unjustifiable, as reported by the Associated Press.
The victims, 21-year-old Eva Liu, who tragically lost her life, and her companion Kelsey Chang, 22, who survived the ordeal, were recent graduates of the University of Illinois. The horrific incidents occurred on June 14 near Marienbruecke, a bridge offering a scenic view of the castle.
Prosecutors revealed that the assailant encountered the two women coincidentally on a hiking trail and enticed them off the path. Subsequently, he allegedly assaulted the younger woman, compelling her to the ground and attempting to disrobe her. In a bid to assist her friend, the older woman intervened, leading to a struggle where the suspect purportedly pushed her off the cliff. Despite plummeting approximately 50 meters (165 feet) and suffering severe injuries, the older victim miraculously survived.
Following this, the perpetrator strangled the younger woman, Liu, rendering her unconscious, and proceeded to commit a heinous act of rape before shoving her down the slope, resulting in her tragic demise.
During the trial, it was disclosed that the defendant aimed to retain video footage and a photograph capturing his abhorrent deeds—crucial pieces of evidence for the investigation—as a form of “trophy.”
Law enforcement officers swiftly apprehended him near the crime scene, where, as per a report by The Daily Mail, he provided a statement to the authorities.
The victims were rescued from the ravine via a helicopter, with the judge condemning the defendant’s actions as he pronounced the verdict, likening his treatment of the deceased victim to discarding “a bag of garbage,” as per German news agency DPA.
–Acknowledgment: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
On 19 February 2024, in Bavaria, Kempten, a 31-year-old American man faced trial for murder at the district court, following a violent assault on two American tourists near Neuschwanstein Castle.