81-year-old confesses to German cold case murder of US tourist in 1994
Amy Lopez from Texas was last seen alive in September 1994 while on a visit to a fortress in Koblenz.
An 82-year-old man is facing a life sentence in Germany after admitting to murdering American tourist Amy Lopez in 1994. Lopez was last seen alive in September of that year while visiting Koblenz on a European tour. Her body was found at Ehrenbreitstein Fortress two hours later. The suspect, who was 49 at the time of the crime, was arrested in February of last year after a DNA trace on Lopez's clothing matched saliva he had provided during a cold-case investigation.
His full name remains undisclosed due to German privacy laws. Prosecutors believe he met Lopez by chance on the fortress path and lured her into a secluded area known as the General von Aster room. He is accused of sexually assaulting and stabbing her nine times. The court was well-attended for the trial's opening day, indicating the notoriety of the case.
The defendant entered the courtroom with a walking frame and confirmed his admission of committing the crime. While a psychiatric expert opinion considers him criminally responsible, a final verdict awaits until the end of the trial. DNA evidence linking him to the murder emerged four years ago, after a fresh investigation team was formed last year.
The suspect had previously been convicted of a sexual offense in 1999, but insufficient DNA evidence at the time could not connect him to the 1994 murder.
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