A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the deadly explosion in Vorizia, Crete, that destroyed a home and triggered a chain of violence in the area. The suspect, identified as the nephew of the late Fanouris Kargakis, was detained on Wednesday following an arrest warrant issued by a local magistrate.
According to the Hellenic Police (ELAS), the young man — son of a 52-year-old man known by the nickname “Kounelos,” who is currently imprisoned — is believed to have planted the explosive device at the Fragkiadakis family home, which later detonated.
Investigators reportedly reached him after examining surveillance footage and other forensic evidence, which allegedly showed him carrying and placing the bomb at the site shortly before the blast. He was taken to the Heraklion Police Directorate for questioning and is expected to appear before a prosecutor and an investigating magistrate.
How Police Traced the Suspect
Authorities say security cameras recorded a vehicle belonging to the suspect’s family near the Fragkiadakis home shortly before the explosion. The footage allegedly shows someone opening and closing the vehicle’s trunk, moments before the blast occurred.
Investigators also lifted phone communication records, which helped confirm his movements. On the night of the incident, the suspect reportedly attended a wedding in Heraklion, but police believe he later traveled to Vorizia to detonate the bomb.
He currently denies all charges, insisting he had no role in the explosion.
The Explosive Device and Ongoing Investigation
Fragments of the explosive mechanism were recovered from the damaged home and are being analyzed. Police sources suggest the bomb may have contained military-grade material, as the blast caused extensive destruction.
Authorities are now trying to identify the person who built the device and the possible instigator behind the attack.
At least seven people from both families—five from the Fragkiadakis side and two from the Kargakis side—have already been detained in connection with the wider case.
Hunt for the Missing Weapons
Investigators are also searching for the firearms used in the deadly shootout that followed the explosion. Fanouris Kargakis, 39, was killed after being struck by multiple bullets from at least two different guns.
Police believe the weapons—including a Kalashnikov rifle and several handguns—were hidden by associates of the families, possibly in the rugged Psiloritis mountains or along the route to the hospital where the injured were taken.
The Organized Crime Division continues to trace the missing weapons to determine how many were used and by whom, in an effort to uncover who ultimately fired the fatal shots.
