Femicide in Nea Smyrni: What relatives of the perpetrator and victim told police

New details are emerging about the femicide in Nea Smyrni, where a 45-year-old woman was shot dead by a 48-year-old man, who subsequently took his own life, following the completion of autopsies on both bodies.

According to ERT, police are now examining frame by frame footage from the security camera at the apartment building on Grigoriou Kydonion Street, in an effort to reconstruct the final moments before the murder and determine the motive that led the 48-year-old to commit the crime.

The ambush outside the apartment building

According to the evidence examined so far, the 48-year-old is believed to have waited outside the apartment building for around five minutes, apparently knowing the 45-year-old woman’s movements. When she appeared and came out of the building, the man approached her. The two then entered the lobby together, where the fatal attack unfolded within seconds.

Analysis of the video reportedly shows the 48-year-old kicking her twice. One of the kicks struck her under the chin, causing her to lose her balance and fall to her knees. The perpetrator then allegedly pulled out a revolver and shot at her.

The 45-year-old appears to have instinctively raised her hands, causing the first shot to miss her. The bullet struck the glass entrance of the apartment building. The second shot, however, proved fatal, striking the woman in the head.

Immediately after the murder, the 48-year-old turned the gun on himself and took his own life.

The central question police are now trying to answer is the motive behind the killing.

Authorities are gathering statements from relatives of both the victim and the perpetrator, looking for information that could shed light on the relationship between the two and the events that preceded the crime.

According to reports, the 45-year-old woman’s sister had been told by the victim herself that she was in a relationship with a man. She did not, however, know his identity.

The 45-year-old had reportedly confided in her sister that she had recently decided to end the relationship because the man was, according to her description, extremely jealous and controlling. He had allegedly even gone so far as to threaten her.

Authorities are examining this information in order to determine whether that relationship was directly connected to the crime.

What the 48-year-old’s wife told police

The 48-year-old’s wife also gave a statement to police. According to reports, she said her husband’s behaviour had changed significantly over the past 18 months. She reportedly told officers that he had been spending many nights away from home, although she was unaware that he was having an extramarital affair.

She also reportedly said that before leaving the house, the 48-year-old left behind around €1,000, telling her that she could use the money.

He then headed towards Nea Smyrni, where, according to the evidence gathered so far, he had planned the attack.

Statement from his 19-year-old daughter

The 48-year-old’s 19-year-old daughter reportedly gave police a different account. According to reports, the young woman knew about her father’s relationship with the 45-year-old. She had also allegedly heard him say that he intended to arrange a meeting so that she could meet the 45-year-old woman.

The statements given by relatives are expected to be assessed by authorities alongside the other evidence gathered during the investigation.

The 48-year-old’s past

Particular attention is also being paid to the perpetrator’s past. According to information that has emerged, the 48-year-old had faced similar charges in Albania in 2016, a detail that is also being examined as part of the investigation.

Authorities are now attempting to piece together, step by step, the circumstances that led to the crime. Statements from relatives, security camera footage and the findings of the autopsies are expected to provide answers to the key outstanding questions. In any case, the tragic outcome remains unchanged: a 45-year-old woman lost her life and the 48-year-old perpetrator subsequently took his own.

The case once again highlights the seriousness of gender-based and intimate partner violence, as well as the need for early recognition of behaviours such as pathological jealousy, controlling conduct, threats and suffocating pressure within a relationship. The exact motive for the murder remains under investigation by the relevant authorities.