Life sentence demanded: 81-year-old accused of murdering US tourist Amy Lopez in Koblenz in 1994
An 81-year-old man is standing trial for the murder of US tourist Amy Lopez before the Koblenz regional court. The verdict is expected on Friday.
Closing arguments in Koblenz: prosecution demands life sentence for 1994 murder
The Koblenz prosecution has demanded a life sentence for the 81-year-old defendant in the trial over the murder of US tourist Amy Lopez. The prosecutors declared in their closing arguments before the Koblenz regional court that particularly serious guilt should be established, as reported by DER SPIEGEL (Justice & Crime).
The man allegedly lured the then 24-year-old Lopez to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz in September 1994 – specifically to the General-von-Aster Room, a remote room on the steep slope of the facility. There he bound her, sexually abused her and killed her with nine stab wounds, according to the indictment. Shortly afterwards, playing children discovered the body.
The prosecution accuses the defendant of having "killed a person treacherously and otherwise for base motives in order to satisfy his sexual urge". He wanted to live out his "perverted sexual fantasies" "at any cost", according to the closing arguments.
The defendant admitted to the act at the beginning of the trial through his lawyer. The defence did not dispute the prosecution's assessment. The lawyers for the civil plaintiffs – representatives of Amy Lopez's family – concurred with the prosecution's demands on the essential points.
The case could only be solved after old DNA traces were re-evaluated using modern analysis methods. At the end of February 2026, the man was arrested near Koblenz and has been in custody since then. For the prosecution, there is "no remaining doubt whatsoever" regarding his guilt in view of the forensic evidence.
The Koblenz regional court's verdict is expected on Friday.