A Greek-Australian man wanted by Australian authorities over a 1999 fatal stabbing in Sydney appeared before a prosecutor on Monday after being arrested in western Greece, ending a 27-year international manhunt.
The 55-year-old – identified as Demetrios “James” Dalamangas – was detained on Sunday in the Aigialeia region of Achaia prefecture following information provided through international police cooperation channels. Greek police said he was the subject of an Interpol red notice issued by Australia in connection with the killing of Georgios Giannopoulos, a 32-year-old Greek-Australian father of two who was fatally stabbed while attempting to break up a fight outside a nightclub in Sydney’s Belmore district in April 1999.
Australian media have reported that the suspect was among Australia’s most wanted fugitives and had been sought for decades by New South Wales police.
Authorities allege the suspect fled Australia shortly after the killing. According to Greek police, he had been living in Greece under a false identity for nearly two decades and was located following a surveillance operation near the coastal city of Aigio in the northern Peloponnese. Australian media reported that he was using the alias “Antonis Tzimas” and living a secluded life in the area.
The case now moves to the courts, where judges will examine Australia’s expected extradition request. Greek authorities are also pursuing separate misdemeanor charges linked to alleged use of false identity documents and related offenses.
The suspect is reportedly opposed to extradition, arguing that he is a Greek citizen and denying the allegations against him. The legal proceedings are expected to attract significant attention because of the lengthy history of the case and questions surrounding jurisdiction after years of unsuccessful efforts by Australian authorities to bring him before a court. Australian police previously attempted to secure his extradition in 2003, while a separate effort to prosecute the case in Greece was later suspended after authorities were unable to locate him.
Australian media have also noted that the suspect had previously been linked by investigators to the unsolved 1997 shooting death of Sydney nightclub security guard Tim Voukelatos. No charges were filed against him in that case, and the arrest in Greece relates solely to the Giannopoulos homicide investigation.
Greek police said the suspect’s father and partner were also detained on allegations of harboring a fugitive. During a search of the property, officers reportedly recovered a crossbow and bladed weapons, leading to additional weapons-related charges under Greek law.
The arrest was welcomed by the victim’s family, who said they hoped it would finally bring justice nearly three decades after the killing. Australian authorities renewed a 200,000 Australian dollar reward for information leading to the suspect’s capture in 2024 and released age-progressed images as part of a final public appeal.
