A former Peachtree City

resident was one of the victims in a murder last week in

Germany that made headlines around the world.

According to Reuters news

service, German police detained four American teenagers

suspected of killing two motorists by throwing large

stones onto a motor way from a pedestrian overpass in a

Feb. 27 incident.

Two women aged 20 and 41

driving separate cars were killed after the soccer

ball-sized stones smashed into their windows and sent the

cars spinning out of control, prosecutors said. The

younger woman's 75-year-old grandmother was seriously

injured.

Three other people suffered

minor injuries and six cars were damaged because of the

stone throwing.

The 41-year-old woman in

the story is Karin Rothermel, according to Peachtree City

resident Terry Enzor, a close friend of the family. She

lived in Peachtree City for two years with her husband,

Detlef, and two children - Catarina, 16, and

Sebastian, 13 - before returning to Germany this

past fall.

Detlef Rothermel was

stationed here under a special two-year program operated

He and his family were German citizens, but they loved

this area.

"They bought a house,

bought American cars, sent their children to Rising Starr

schools... you know, they blended in," said Enzor.

"They loved it here! They wanted to stay, but

Detlef's assignment ended and they had to return to

Germany."

Peachtree City public

information specialist Betsy Tyler informed local media

Monday of the local connection to the story, and Mayor

Bob Lenox sent a message of condolence to the family on

behalf of the City Council.

General Montgomery Meigs,

commanding general of the U.S. Army, Europe, and Seventh

Army in a March 3 message sent his heartfelt condolences

to the Rothermel family on behalf of all the men and

women of the United States Army in Europe, Enzor said.

Enzor and his wife, Cindy,

traveled to Germany last Friday to be with the

Rothermels, returning Sunday.

Three of the suspects, aged

14 - 18, face murder charges with prison sentences of up

to 10 years if found guilty, according to the Reuters

story. A fourth boy, 15, faces lesser charges.

Three of the suspects have

admitted taking part, according to the prosecutor's

office in Darmstadt, which is about 30 miles south of

Frankfurt.

The pedestrian bridge over

the motor way where the crime took place is near a U.S.

military community settlement called Lincoln Village

where about 600 U.S. families live.

"I am shocked and

saddened by the tragic accident that occurred Sunday in

Darmstadt," Defense Secretary William Cohen said in

a statement. "German and American officials are and

will continue to work closely together as the

investigation unfolds."

Prosecutors have requested

that the four be placed under investigative custody,

although the 15-year-old boy likely is to be released

because he was not as extensively involved in the crime,

Nauber said.

A judge in Darmstadt where

the crime took place will decide on that request Tuesday.

The four were detained Monday evening after eyewitnesses

gave police accounts of the crime.

Terry Enzor, who worked

with Detlef Rothermel and shared a 46-mile commute every

day during the Rothermels' stay in Peachtree City,

notified former colleagues at Siemens locally as well as

the city after Karin's death took place.

"Detlef is a fine man

and has a tremendous family," he said. "Please

join me in uplifting Detlef, and Detlef and Karen's

children, in our prayers."

The Rothermel family can be

reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by regular mail at

Numrichstrasse 2D-64319, Pfungstadt, Eschollbrucken,

Germany.