Suspect in 2020 Loutraki double murder arrested after six years on the run

A 43-year-old foreign national was arrested by officers of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime on Thursday morning, November 5. Two life sentences were outstanding against him for multiple counts of premeditated murder committed in a calm state of mind, multiple counts of robbery, and destruction of property by fire.

The arrest followed the collection and analysis of intelligence by the Department of Crimes Against Life and Personal Liberty, part of the Sub-Directorate for the Investigation of Crimes Against Life and Property. A coordinated police operation was subsequently carried out at an apartment in the Kato Patissia district of Athens.

During the operation, which was conducted in the presence of a prosecutor and with the assistance of the Special Counterterrorism Unit (EKAM), officers located and arrested the 43-year-old man.

The convictions concerned a double murder committed on the night of October 10–11, 2020, at a holiday home in Loutraki, Corinthia. The arrested man is believed to have fatally attacked his former partner, a Ukrainian massage therapist, and her then-partner, a Greek pharmacist, with an axe.

He subsequently stole money and jewellery from the victims before moving the woman’s vehicle to a secluded location and setting it on fire.

During a search of a residence, police discovered and seized a silver-coloured handgun with a wooden grip, two fully functional hand grenades, two grenade detonators, three pairs of metal handcuffs, and a residence permit belonging to another person but bearing the 43-year-old suspect’s photograph.

The suspect was also arrested on charges of violence against public officials and judicial officers, forgery, and violations of firearms and immigration legislation.

He reportedly admitted to police that he had kept the hand grenades with the intention of using them against officers if they tracked him down, but was unable to carry out his plan.

Police had been searching for him for several years. During that time, he reportedly took steps to alter his appearance by changing his hairstyle and growing facial hair, while frequently moving between different places of residence.

As part of international police cooperation, Greek authorities communicated with their Albanian counterparts through the INTERPOL Department of the International Police Cooperation Directorate at Hellenic Police Headquarters. The exchange revealed that the suspect was also the subject of an international wanted notice issued by Albania in connection with an attempted armed robbery committed jointly with others.

A 41-year-old woman of the same nationality was also arrested on charges of harbouring a criminal and violating immigration legislation.

Police noted that the 43-year-old suspect had previously come to the attention of authorities in connection with drug offences, robbery, firearms violations, traffic offences and breaches of gambling legislation.

Both arrested individuals are being brought before the competent prosecutorial authority.