German Man, 81, Confesses to 1994 Murder of US Tourist

An 81-year-old man has confessed to the sexual assault and murder of an American tourist in Germany more than three decades ago, as his trial opened on Tuesday. The defendant, whose identity has not been disclosed under German privacy laws, admitted to killing 24-year-old Amy Lopez in the western city of Koblenz in 1994.

Prosecutors have accused the man of committing the murder in a treacherous manner and for base motives, specifically to satisfy sexual urges. During the hearing at the Koblenz district court, defense lawyer Volker Klein stated that his client fully admitted to the crime. When presiding judge Rupert Stehlin asked the defendant directly if this was accurate, the 81-year-old nodded and replied "yes."

The crime occurred on September 26, 1994, while Lopez was visiting Koblenz as a tourist. At the time, the suspect was 49 years old. Prosecutors allege he lured her under false pretenses to a secluded room within the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, where he handcuffed her, sexually assaulted her, and killed her with nine stab wounds to the chest. He is also accused of strangling her with a belt and striking her on the head with a rock when she attempted to defend herself and cried out.

Lopez's body was discovered shortly afterward by children playing in the vicinity. The case remained unsolved for decades, until investigators re-examined old DNA traces using modern forensic techniques. Genetic material found on the victim's waistband and thigh was ultimately matched to the suspect, leading to his arrest in late February at a nursing home in the Koblenz area. He has been in pretrial detention since.

The trial has eight sessions scheduled, with a verdict expected in September.