An 82-year-old man has admitted to the murder of American tourist Amy Lopez in Koblenz, Germany, in September 1994. The trial began this week in Koblenz, with the defendant, identified only as Hans S. due to German privacy laws, confessing to the crime on the first day.
Lopez, 81, from Texas, was on a tour of Europe when she was last seen alive heading towards Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Her body was discovered at the site two hours later. Prosecutors allege that Hans S., who was 49 at the time of the murder, met Lopez by chance on the path to the fortress. He is accused of luring her to a secluded area known as the General von Aster room, where he allegedly sexually assaulted and stabbed her nine times.
The case remained unsolved for nearly three decades until a DNA trace found on Lopez's clothing was matched to saliva provided by Hans S. during a recent cold-case investigation. He was arrested at a retirement home near Koblenz last February. His lawyer stated that Hans S. provided a DNA sample because the case had "weighed heavily" on him and he sought closure.
Authorities had renewed efforts to solve the case in recent years, establishing a special cold-case unit last year. Appeals to the public and an appearance on a national television unsolved crime show generated leads. However, a breakthrough came when police began collecting saliva samples from volunteers, leading to the arrest.
Investigators had previously identified DNA evidence on the victim's trousers four years ago due to advancements in forensic technology, but it was not until the recent voluntary DNA collection that a direct match was made.
Hans S. had a prior conviction for a sexual offense in 1999, but police at that time lacked sufficient DNA evidence to link him to Lopez's murder. While an expert psychiatric evaluation commissioned by prosecutors suggests the suspect was criminally responsible at the time of the crime, a final determination will await the conclusion of the trial. A verdict is expected early next month. The notoriety of the case in the Koblenz area was evident by the packed courtroom for the trial's opening.