Greek authorities have arrested both suspects involved in the double murder at a campsite in Finikounda, southern Greece, bringing a dramatic turn to a case that has gripped the country with its disturbing revelations.
According to police sources, the two 22-year-old men were captured on security footage arriving at and fleeing the scene of the killings, which occurred nine days ago. The first suspect surrendered earlier this week to Athens police, while his alleged accomplice — believed to be the gunman — was arrested hours later in a coordinated police operation in the Athens district of Kallithea.
Both men were transferred overnight to Kalamata, where they are expected to appear before an investigative magistrate on Tuesday (October 15) to face formal charges.
The Arrests
The alleged shooter is accused of killing a 68-year-old campsite owner and his 61-year-old employee, who were found shot multiple times — the older man in the chest and head, and the second victim in the back and torso — in what forensic experts described as “professional-style” executions.
Police sources confirmed that both suspects had been under surveillance since Sunday, after investigators matched their identities from CCTV footage showing them riding a white scooter toward the site. The pair reportedly traveled from Athens to Kalamata on October 4, spent the night in a rented Airbnb near the port, and then headed to Finikounta the following afternoon.
Following the crime, the gunman is believed to have fled south toward Koroni and Pylos, before returning to Athens through Ilia and Achaia, making fuel stops in Kyparissia and Corinth.
Police have yet to locate the murder weapon or the scooter used in the attack.
Confessions and Claims
The first suspect, who turned himself in, reportedly confessed to his involvement, telling police he was the passenger on the scooter and naming his friend as the shooter. He claimed he did not personally know the victims and had joined the trip believing it was an attempted extortion, not a planned murder.
According to his lawyer, Charalambos Lykoudis, his client admitted to participating in earlier attempts to intimidate the victim but denied any intent to kill. The lawyer added that there was a “personal but not familial or financial connection” between the young man and the 68-year-old businessman.
The alleged motive stems from what the suspect described as a “traumatic experience”: he accused the older man of sexually assaulting him in 2022, when he was 19, during a previous stay at the same campsite. He told investigators he later extorted money from the victim to remain silent, but when the payments stopped, he decided to return and demand more money.
Police are treating this account with caution as they continue to verify his statements.
What Witnesses Saw
A key witness — the victim’s nephew — told Greek media he saw a thin, blond-haired man wearing casual clothes enter the reception area shortly before the shooting. He described hearing his uncle speak mockingly to the visitor, followed by gunfire. The witness narrowly escaped after being shot at himself.
His testimony supports claims that the shooter may have worn a blond wig, a detail also reported by police sources.
Video footage broadcast by Greek networks shows the two suspects on a motorcycle heading toward the campsite on the night of the murder, confirming their planned route and getaway path.
The Investigation Continues
While both main suspects are now in custody, police have not ruled out additional involvement. Investigators are examining phone records and communication data, after discovering that one of the accused had contact with someone from the victim’s close circle, a person believed to have known the 68-year-old’s routines and financial situation.
Authorities consider this connection a potential lead to moral instigators — individuals who may have encouraged or facilitated the killing.
Law enforcement officials say the case may still hold “several surprises,” as new evidence continues to emerge.
