Criminal lawyer Stavros Georgiou died following a brutal beating – Scenarios under investigation

The Homicide Unit’s investigation into the murder of prominent criminal lawyer Stavros Georgiou is under way, after his death was discovered late last night (21/7) at his office at 158 3rd September Street, in central Athens.

Relatives had been trying to reach him throughout the day, and late in the evening his two 16-year-old daughters went to the property and rang the doorbells, as they did not have keys.

The building manager let them in and entered the office himself. The premises also served as an apartment, as the victim often stayed there. Upon entering, they discovered him dead in the bedroom.

The building manager took his daughters outside and called the authorities, who immediately sealed off the area. A forensic investigation team and a medical examiner were also called to the scene.

The time of death is believed to have been during the morning hours of yesterday (21/7). He was found naked on the bedroom floor, lying in a pool of blood and in a foetal position.

His trousers had been placed on one chair and his shirt on another, but there were no signs of disorder or searching that would resemble a crime scene linked to robbery.

He suffered a barrage of blows to the head

No weapon appears to have been used. Instead, he was subjected to repeated blows to the head with fists — and possibly kicks — as well as being struck against a surface, possibly the bed, causing fatal traumatic brain injuries.

As a lawyer, he had handled serious and high-profile cases in the past. However, in this instance, the motive does not appear to have been connected to his professional work.

The crime scene, the setting and the condition in which the victim was found inevitably point, most likely, to a more personal motive, although nothing can be ruled out at this stage.

All individuals in his personal circle will be questioned so that the officers investigating the case can form a clearer picture of the direction the inquiry should take.

At the same time, investigators will search for CCTV footage that may show who approached the premises during the relevant hours. The victim’s own past will also be taken into account as the authorities attempt to unravel the case.

Who was Stavros Georgiou?

Stavros Georgiou was one of Greece’s most active and high-profile criminal lawyers, frequently appearing on television. His career was linked to some of the darkest and most widely discussed cases in the history of the Greek justice system.

1. The disappearance of 11-year-old Alex in Veria (2006)
In the case of 11-year-old Alex Meshishvili, who disappeared in February 2006, Stavros Georgiou represented the boy who was then 13 years old and considered the main suspect.

His defence strategy focused on contradictions in the statements given by the minors involved and on gaps in the preliminary investigation. Together with fellow lawyer Eliza Vozemberg, he had appealed to the Supreme Court, alleging pressure and threats.

2. The horrific murder of four-year-old Annie (2015)
In the brutal case involving the dismemberment of four-year-old Annie by her father on Michail Voda Street, the criminal lawyer represented the child’s mother. From the outset, he argued that his client had been in Germany and had been completely deceived by the perpetrator.

His legal strategy led to the mother’s acquittal on appeal on the charge of exposing a minor to danger.

At the same time, his career had already begun to attract wider public attention during the trials of the “17 November” terrorist organisation.