The case that has shocked the town of Mystras, near Sparta in southern Greece, continues to raise disturbing questions as investigators await the results of the forensic examination. The body of a 90-year-old man, found inside a freezer in the basement of a hotel owned by his 55-year-old son, has prompted renewed scrutiny over the exact time and cause of death. Conflicting witness accounts and the suspect’s statements remain at the center of the investigation.
The Key Question: When Did the 90-Year-Old Die?
The most significant unanswered question concerns the exact time of the man’s death.
According to police, the 55-year-old told investigators that his father died of natural causes approximately two to two-and-a-half years ago. Residents of Mystras, however, say they had not seen the elderly man for at least four to five years, creating a significant discrepancy that authorities are now examining.
Investigators expect the autopsy and forensic examination to determine both the approximate time and the exact cause of death.
Investigation Began After Report of the Man’s Disappearance
The investigation began after information reached the Laconia Police Directorate indicating that the elderly man had not been seen for a prolonged period.
Initially, the 55-year-old allegedly told police that his father was living in Athens. However, when officers contacted his sister, she reportedly said she also had not seen their father for years and that he had been living with her brother in Mystras.
Those developments prompted a search, carried out in the presence of a judicial official, at the hotel owned by the 55-year-old. The property was no longer operating as a hotel and was being used as a residence.
Body Found in Freezer as Financial Motive Investigated
Police discovered the body of the 90-year-old inside a commercial freezer in the building’s basement.
According to the official statement issued by the Hellenic Police, the 55-year-old is accused of concealing his father’s death so he could continue collecting his pension.
Police also say the suspect admitted he had been receiving his late mother’s pension as well. She had died several years earlier, and the pension had been transferred to her husband as the beneficiary.
Residents Describe an Abandoned Hotel
Residents told investigators the hotel had effectively been abandoned in recent years, with very little activity and its doors almost always closed.
According to local media reports, there had long been suspicions that something was wrong. The 55-year-old allegedly prevented other people from entering not only the building but even the surrounding property.
The same reports say those growing suspicions eventually led to a tip that prompted the police investigation.
No Immediate Signs of Foul Play
According to Greece’s public broadcaster ERT, the body showed no visible external injuries indicating foul play.
However, authorities are awaiting the results of the forensic examination. Because the body remained in a freezer for several years, investigators must complete the thawing process before drawing reliable conclusions.
Charges and Ongoing Investigation
The 55-year-old has been charged with making a false statement, repeated fraud, and violating Greece’s weapons legislation after officers also seized an air pistol during the search.
The investigation is continuing under the Sparta Department for the Investigation and Detection of Crimes, while the forensic examination is expected to play a decisive role in determining the next steps in the case.
Hellenic Police Statement
“The 55-year-old Greek national was arrested at midday on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in a local community within the Municipality of Sparta by officers of the Sparta Department for the Investigation and Detection of Crimes, following an investigation into the prolonged absence of his 90-year-old father and a subsequent detailed police inquiry.
“The investigation found that he had concealed the death of the 90-year-old in order to continue receiving his pension.
“A case file has been filed against the 55-year-old on charges of making a false statement, repeated fraud, and violating weapons legislation.
“During a search conducted in the presence of a judicial official at a hotel owned by the 55-year-old that was no longer in operation, officers discovered the body of the deceased 90-year-old inside a freezer in the basement. An air pistol was also found and seized during the search.
“A medical examiner and officers from the Sparta Forensic Investigations Office attended the scene, and an autopsy was ordered.”
