Credit: Neuschwanstein CastleA 31-year-old American man admitted to luring two women on a tour of Neuschwanstein Castle before raping and murdering one of them. The 154-year-old limestone castle inspired Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort and Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort.
More than one million tourists visit Neuschwanstein Castle annually. According to The Telegraph, Troy Phillip Bohling of Michigan was staying at a boarding house in Oberstor, Germany, and encountered two young women while visiting the so-called “Disney Castle.” 21-year-old Eva Liu and 22-year-old Kelsey Chang were on the last leg of a once-in-a-lifetime trip across Europe when they met Bohling in June 2023.
Bohling claimed both women slipped on a mountain before he approached them and said, “That’s enough adventure for today.” He then offered to take them to a “romantic spot for selfies” on the way back to Neuschwanstein Castle. The women agreed.
(*Editor’s Note: The following passage contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault that may be upsetting to some readers.)
Once they arrived, Bohling said he pushed Liu down and raped her. Chang tried to intervene, but the man pushed her down a 165-foot ravine.
Bohling continued assaulting Liu, strangling her with a belt while filming his attack. A pair of hikers stumbled across the scene when Liu was already unconscious. The man then threw her down the same ravine as Chang.
A tree miraculously broke Chang’s fall. She called emergency services, telling them that Liu was “gasping.” The women were rushed to the hospital, where Liu died of her injuries.
Bohling initially refused to speak to authorities but later admitted to the rape and murder via his lawyer, who said he “was aware that the victim could die without help, yet he still left her behind.” He also admitted to possessing child pornography.
Philip Mueller, Bohling’s attorney, told the court the killer didn’t plan the attack in advance. He said Bohling was “deeply ashamed.”
Eric Abneri captured a video of authorities arresting Bohling last year. He told CBS News that the man’s face and neck were “covered in deep red scratch marks.”
“There was clearly a struggle there, and he just had a frown on his face,” Abneri recalled. “He didn’t say anything. He had a sort of disturbed look.”
Bohling didn’t speak to the court beyond confirming his lawyer’s confession on his behalf. On his way to and from the courtroom, he used a file folder to hide his face from the press.
Germany’s “Disney Castle”
King Ludwig II initiated the construction of Neuschwanstein Castle in 1869. According to the tourist attraction’s website, the royal hoped to use the expansive building to avoid public life. Ludwig died in 1886 without finishing the castle, which was then opened to the public.
Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle was never finished. Of over 200 rooms, only 15 are fully furnished.
Walt Disney and his wife visited the Bavarian attraction before opening the first Disney park in 1955. With its eccentric grandeur, the historic building inspired Disney’s designs for both Sleeping Beauty Castle and Cinderella Castle. Walt Disney Imagineers later replicated his Magic Kingdom Park design for Tokyo Disneyland.
Troy Phillip Bohling’s trial is expected to run until March 13, 2024. He faces life in prison if convicted.