Police investigators are working at full speed following the gruesome discovery of a suitcase containing human remains inside an abandoned building on Evelpidon Street, in the Kypseli area of Athens.
The discovery has triggered a full alert at the Greek Police (ELAS), with the case already handed over to the newly formed Directorate for Combating Organized Crime. According to reports, the suitcase was found on Saturday around 2:00 p.m. by a homeless man who had been using the building as a temporary shelter.
A strong, foul odor coming from the area led him to the disturbing find. Part of a human lower limb reportedly protruded from inside the suitcase.
Large numbers of police officers rushed to the scene and cordoned off the surrounding area. Specialized units from the Directorate of Forensic Investigations are carrying out a thorough search of the site to collect genetic material, fingerprints, and any other evidence that could shed light on the case.
Waiting on answers from the coroner’s office
The identity and gender of the victim remain unknown for now. A forensic examination is expected to answer the key questions, including gender, likely age, the exact time of death, and the cause of death.
At the same time, investigators are also trying to determine whether the dismemberment was the primary cause of death or a step taken afterward to conceal evidence of the crime.
What Kypseli residents say about the building
The building where the suitcase was found had been in an unusual state of abandonment. According to one local resident, the space had been accessible until about two years ago, serving as a shelter for homeless people until a fire broke out and the building was sealed off.
The resident noted that in recent weeks, a homeless man had been sleeping nearby, but he hasn’t been seen in the last few days, a detail police are examining closely.
ELAS investigators are moving quickly, with security officers already gathering footage from surveillance cameras in the area in an effort to trace the movements of whoever brought the suitcase to the site and left it there.
