MADISON, Wis. — A U.S. hiker who fell to her dying throughout a savage assault in Germany and a pal who tried to guard her had simply graduated collectively from the University of Illinois with pc levels.
Authorities haven’t launched the names of anybody concerned within the June 14 incident as a consequence of German privateness guidelines. But the Rev. Mark Zhang of Living Water Evangelical Church in Naperville, Illinois, mentioned Tuesday that 21-year-old Eva Liu and her dad and mom attended the church and Liu’s dad and mom advised him that she had been killed.
“It’s a very tough situation,” Zhang mentioned. “Our words are powerless. We just mourn together with them and pray for them. When one family suffers, our whole church suffers.”
Weihan Chang of Normal, Illinois, mentioned that his daughter, 22-year-old Kelsey Chang, survived the assault. She was launched from a hospital on Sunday and was on a airplane sure for house Tuesday. He mentioned he hadn’t had an opportunity to speak together with her very a lot.
“She’s pretty damaged by the incident,” Weihan Chang advised The Associated Press. “It’s life-changing.”
According to authorities, Liu and Chang had been mountaineering close to Neuschwanstein fortress in southern Germany on the afternoon of June 14. The two girls encountered a 30-year-old man from Michigan on the trail. He lured them onto a path resulting in a viewpoint, in response to police. At some level he attacked Liu. When Chang tried to assist her the person threw Chang off a cliff. She fell nearly 165 toes (50 meters).
The man then apparently tried to sexually assault Liu earlier than throwing her off the cliff as nicely. Mountain rescue groups had been in a position to attain the ladies however Liu died in a hospital that evening.
The Michigan man left the scene however was arrested close by. A bystander mentioned the person had scratches throughout his face however mentioned nothing as police took him away to jail.
The man is suspected of homicide, tried homicide and a sexual offense however prosecutors have mentioned it could be three to 4 months earlier than he’s indicted.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Associate Chancellor Robin Kaler mentioned in an announcement late Monday night that Liu and Chang each graduated from the varsity in May. Liu earned a bachelor’s diploma in pc science. Chang earned a level in pc engineering.
“Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on (her friend),” Kaler mentioned. “Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment with the fear of such a tragic outcome.”
Barry Gin, one other pastor at Living Water Evangelical Church in Naperville, mentioned that Liu was a member of the church’s youth group earlier than attending boarding college on the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora as a sophomore. Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli deliberate a second of silence in Liu’s honor at Tuesday evening’s metropolis council assembly.
Neuschwanstein, situated in southern Bavaria near Austria’s border, is certainly one of Germany’s hottest vacationer points of interest.
It is essentially the most well-known of the castles constructed by King Ludwig II of Bavaria within the nineteenth century. Construction began in 1869 however was by no means accomplished. Ludwig died in 1886.
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