The two 22-year-old suspects, childhood friends from Athens, met secretly after the killings as police continue to investigate the missing gun and scooter linked to the murders.
Greek authorities have now issued an official statement confirming that the two young men are being charged as the principal and moral instigator in the double murder at a campsite in Finikounda, southern Greece. Investigators have also mapped the route they took before and after the killings.
During searches of their homes, police recovered the clothes worn during the murders, the scooter rider’s gear, and one mobile phone, which will undergo forensic examination.
The Police Announcement
According to the Hellenic Police (EL.AS.), the murders occurred on October 5, 2025, at the campsite reception area. An unknown assailant fatally shot the 68-year-old owner. Two other individuals attempted to flee but were also shot, resulting in the death of a 61-year-old employee. The suspect then fled the scene on a motorcycle.
Police investigations were conducted by the Department for Combating Organized Crime, in coordination with the Homicide Division of Kalamata and the Pylos Police Department. Using pre-investigative data and information from witnesses, authorities identified two perpetrators and reconstructed the entire path they followed.
One suspect voluntarily surrendered on October 14, 2025, while the second was apprehended during a coordinated police operation. Both suspects underwent body searches and home inspections, resulting in the recovery of key evidence including clothing, scooter equipment, and a mobile phone.
Additionally, police uncovered a prior incident in which the campsite owner was injured by an air pistol, linked to the same suspects. Consequently, the arrest warrants also include charges of conspiracy and complicity in attempted homicide dating back to September 7, 2025.
Both suspects were then brought before the competent prosecutorial authority and referred to the main judicial inquiry.
Friends Since Childhood
The two suspects reportedly lived just streets apart in Kallithea, an Athens suburb, and had known each other since childhood, attending the same church youth group.
The first suspect, who later surrendered to police, was described as polite and disciplined. He had aspired to join the army’s special forces, frequently trained at a local gym, and worked as a delivery driver and occasionally in construction. His only prior police record was at age 16, when he was arrested for vandalizing cars with two other minors in Faliro.
The second suspect, identified as the alleged shooter, had no prior record but was known for being loud and short-tempered, with neighbors reporting frequent disturbances from his apartment.
A Mysterious Meeting After the Killings
Police say the two friends remained in contact after returning to Athens following the murders. Exclusive reports indicate that they met just one day before the first suspect surrendered, although the content of the meeting remains unclear. Investigators believe the encounter may have involved attempts to coordinate their stories, as their statements later contradicted each other significantly.
Video Evidence and Key Missing Items
Footage released by MEGA shows the alleged gunman returning home to Athens in the early hours after the murders, walking with his helmet in hand — the same one believed to have been worn during the killings.
Authorities continue to search for three crucial items:
- the firearm used in the murders,
- the white scooter used in the attack, and
- the missing mobile phone of the alleged shooter.
The suspect claimed the phone fell into the sea and stopped working, later discarding it into a drain. Police consider it a key source of information on the suspects’ movements and communications, potentially revealing contacts with others involved in planning or aiding the crime.
Next Steps in the Investigation
Police are awaiting authorization to access the suspects’ phone records, which may help identify a possible third party believed to be the moral instigator of the murders.
Both 22-year-olds remain in custody under heightened security, as investigators continue to reconstruct the timeline, motives, and whether the lifelong friends acted alone or as part of a broader conspiracy.
