Three men accused in connection with the 2024 attempted murder of a shepherd on the island of Crete are scheduled to appear before an investigating magistrate in the city of Rethymno on Wednesday, as authorities continue searching for the gunman.
The suspects were arrested following what police described as a lengthy and methodical investigation into the attack on the now 71-year-old shepherd from the village of Vilandredo.
Investigators identified four men who planned and organized the attack. They include a 42-year-old man from the victim’s village, who is already serving a prison sentence for a previous offense involving the shepherd’s son, his 66-year-old uncle, and two brothers from the same village.
Prosecutors have brought charges against the four men including participation in a criminal organization, attempted murder as co-perpetrators, and aggravated intentional bodily harm.
The three men taken into custody deny any involvement in the case, according to their pretrial statements. The fourth suspect, the 42-year-old, remains in prison on the unrelated conviction.
Gunman Still Unidentified
Police say the person who carried out the attack has not been identified or arrested. Authorities do not believe any of the four charged men was the individual who entered the shepherd’s livestock enclosure on Sept. 6, 2024, shot him, and seriously injured him.
Investigators believe the attacker may have been a hired assailant, drawing comparisons to an earlier assault on the victim’s son. In that case, the imprisoned 42-year-old was previously convicted of ordering an attack involving a corrosive substance on July 31, 2024, in the Koumbes area. Those perpetrators have already been convicted and are serving prison sentences.
Attack Left Victim Seriously Injured
According to police, the attack took place at the shepherd’s livestock facility in the mountainous area of Vilandredo.
Investigators believe the assailant carefully planned the attack, taking advantage of the isolated location, where there were no surveillance cameras. Police say the attacker concealed his identity and is believed to have removed the property’s security camera recorder beforehand to avoid being identified.
Authorities state that the attacker crawled into position the night before and waited until around 6 a.m. before opening fire.
The victim suffered a gunshot wound and severe injuries, including a serious injury to his tongue that investigators believe was intended to prevent him from speaking. Despite his injuries, he managed to contact his son and was hospitalized for months in the intensive care unit at Heraklion University Hospital.
Police believe the motive for the attack was a long-running land dispute between the family of the imprisoned 42-year-old and the victim’s family.
Additional Corruption Investigation
The case file also includes two women—a court employee and the imprisoned suspect’s wife—who face bribery-related charges.
According to investigators, the court employee is accused of providing confidential information about the progress of the investigation to the prisoner’s wife and other members of the alleged group. Neither woman has been arrested.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.
