A shocking domestic homicide has unfolded in Salamina, where a 75-year-old woman was murdered by her 46-year-old daughter-in-law, who confessed to the crime on 25 November. According to police information, the suspect struggled with gambling addiction and significant financial problems, which investigators believe played a central role in the killing. She faces charges of intentional homicide, illegal possession of a weapon, and weapon use.
Her lawyer, Vasilis Tauxis, has described serious psychiatric and cognitive challenges affecting the accused. “No one has the right to take a human life. This case raises significant issues, primarily related to her mental and psychiatric condition,” Tauxis said, noting that previous hospital records are being reviewed. According to Tauxis, the accused has been emotionally unstable and difficult to communicate with since her arrest. “At times she cries, at other times she hits her head against the wall and refuses food,” he said. He emphasized that the relationship between the accused and the victim had been positive, with the woman caring for her mother-in-law.
Initially, authorities treated the case as a possible robbery. However, the victim’s daughter had suspected the perpetrator from the very beginning, noting that the elderly woman had repeatedly warned relatives to be cautious around her daughter-in-law.
Investigators identified the suspect through mistakes she made during the crime. Notably, she disabled a security camera inside the victim’s home via a mobile app but left the microphone active. The device captured a 35-minute audio recording in which the victim pleaded for her life and recited the “Our Father” prayer shortly before dying. The attacker allegedly whispered to avoid revealing her voice, leading the 75-year-old to believe she was being assaulted by a man. Additional blood traces found in the suspect’s car further tied her to the crime.
The audio also revealed that the victim did not realize the assailant was her daughter-in-law, as the woman wore a hooded shirt and spoke in a whispered, altered voice. The accused claimed she acted out of fear that her mother-in-law would recognize her, a claim contradicted by evidence.
A lawyer representing the victim’s family noted that the killer was the first person to return to the crime scene, pretending to be searching for the elderly woman after relatives had not heard from her all day. Her familiarity with the home and knowledge of the victim’s limited mobility raised further suspicion.
Investigators say the motive is linked to €10,000 the elderly woman had entrusted to the couple for safekeeping. Authorities believe the daughter-in-law lost the money gambling, prompting the victim’s son to gather €8,000 to replace it. When further funds were lost, the suspect allegedly decided to stage a robbery to cover her tracks.
The woman also had a long history of involvement with the far-right group Golden Dawn, having run as a candidate in past national and local elections.
The victim’s son is reportedly in severe psychological distress following the revelation that his mother was killed by his wife. He has sought medical support and taken leave from work as he struggles to process the crime.
