Patra: Chuck Norris’ stunt double found dead in prison cell – Who was “Bill the Canadian”

The man who reportedly served as Chuck Norris’ stunt double in dangerous action sequences has been found dead at Agios Stefanos Prison near Patras.

According to information obtained by tempo24, the deceased was 64-year-old Vasilis Varelas, also known as “Bill the Canadian”. He was discovered dead in his cell by prison officers on Thursday morning (November 6). An autopsy is expected to determine the cause of death.

Who Was Vasilis Varelas, Known as “Bill the Canadian”?

Vasilis Varelas’ story begins in Nedousa, a village in the Taygetos mountains of Messinia, southern Greece. He trained in martial arts and kickboxing, reportedly winning two championship titles, according to media reports published at the time.

During the 1980s, he moved abroad, spending time in Canada and the United States, where he worked as a stunt performer in film productions.

According to the same reports, he was hired to stand in for Chuck Norris during dangerous action scenes, drawing on his experience in martial arts.

However, his time in North America took a different turn in 1988, when he became involved in a homicide case in Canada. According to published accounts, the case concerned the murder of a man who was shot in the head following a personal dispute. An international arrest warrant was subsequently issued for Varelas.

Return to Kalamata and Involvement in Organised Crime

After returning to Greece, Varelas’ name began to be linked to organised crime cases in Messinia.

From the early 2000s until 2008, he repeatedly came into conflict with the law, primarily over drug-related offences, and was imprisoned on several occasions.

According to police investigation findings cited in media reports, he allegedly established a criminal group involved in extorting business owners and carrying out contract attacks.

The sums allegedly demanded from local business owners reportedly reached as much as €3,000.

The Two Attempted Murders in Nea Filadelfeia

One of the cases linked to the group’s activities involved the former husband of Varelas’ then-fiancée, with whom he reportedly had personal disputes.

The man was allegedly targeted in two separate attacks, both of which he survived.

The first occurred in March 2009 in Nea Filadelfeia, Athens, when an assailant shot him in the head at almost point-blank range.

Despite suffering serious injuries, the victim was taken to hospital and survived thanks to medical intervention.
The Double Murder That Shocked Messinia
The case that brought the group’s alleged activities to the centre of police investigations was the murder of 35-year-old Felim Mesai and his two-year-old son in late November 2011.

The bodies of the father and child were discovered inside a car submerged in an irrigation canal.

The 35-year-old man had been shot in the head, while his son had suffered a fatal wound to the neck inflicted by a sharp object.

The double murder shocked the local community and prompted an intensive police investigation to identify those responsible and establish their motives.

According to findings attributed to the police investigation, authorities treated the case as a planned killing and linked the order to carry it out to Vasilis Varelas.
The Arrests and the Special Forces Operation
The investigation led police to locate a 29-year-old Albanian man in Porto Rafti, near Athens.

Officers from EKAM, the Hellenic Police’s special counterterrorism unit, carried out an operation at a residence in the area, forcing their way into the building to arrest him.

Vasilis Varelas was located on a secluded property guarded by dogs. According to accounts of the operation, he was arrested while holding a firearm.

His arrest marked a significant development in the investigation into the double homicide and the other criminal activities attributed to the group.