The disappearance case of a 54-year-old man in the village of Kymina, near Thessaloniki, came to a grim end after his body was recovered from the waters of the Loudias River, close to the location identified by the two suspects during their statements to police.

The victim’s body was discovered by local fishermen, who alerted authorities in shock. Strong police forces immediately sealed off the area in order to collect evidence and transfer the body to the forensic service, according to local reports.

Investigators say the 54-year-old had been tied to bricks before being thrown into the river. The killing was linked to the theft of pigeons.

Accomplice Jailed, Main Suspect to Testify

The 43-year-old suspect accused of direct complicity in the crime was remanded in custody following his testimony before the investigating magistrate on Thursday.

Despite claiming that he tried to take the gun away from the shooter and that he never imagined the situation would end in murder, the investigating judge was not convinced.

The 44-year-old man accused of fatally shooting the victim is expected to testify on Friday after requesting additional time to prepare his defense.

Murder Allegedly Committed Under the Influence of Drugs

According to the preliminary investigation, both suspects were allegedly in a state of severe confusion, having used narcotics before the murder and the subsequent disposal of the body in the river.

Authorities say the cold-blooded decision to dump the 54-year-old man in the Loudias River over a dispute involving a handful of pigeons highlights the brutality of the case.