Athens murder and perpetrator’s suicide / Investigators uncover the Albanian man’s past and his connection to the victim

Greek police are investigating the past of the 48-year-old man of Albanian origin, as well as the relationship he had with the 45-year-old woman whom he shot dead in Nea Smyrni, Athens, before taking his own life.

The crime took place at around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, near an apartment building on Grigoriou Kydonia Street. The victim lived in that apartment with her 16-year-old daughter.

It is suspected that the perpetrator had been waiting inside his vehicle outside the building. When the 45-year-old woman left the building, he approached her and shot her with a revolver. Immediately afterward, the 48-year-old man used the same weapon to end his own life.

Security camera footage is a key element of the investigation, as it is believed to have captured the moments before the attack and the crime itself.

Police investigate the relationship between the 48-year-old man and the victim

One of the authorities’ main lines of inquiry concerns the nature and duration of the possible relationship between the two people. Establishing the nature of this connection could help determine the motive for the murder.

As part of the investigation, police searched the 48-year-old man’s home in Tavros. Electronic devices, documents and other materials that could help clarify the circumstances of the incident were seized there.

Investigators are also examining the mobile phones and online activity records of both individuals in an effort to reconstruct their communications and movements before the murder.

According to reports in the Greek media, the 48-year-old man was married and had one child. His wife was questioned by the authorities and stated that she was unaware of any extramarital relationship involving her husband.

Investigation into his past in Albania

Greek authorities are also verifying the 48-year-old man’s history in Albania. Greek media report that he was arrested in Tirana in 2016 after being suspected of raping his wife.

According to the same reports, a court case had also been opened against him for stalking.

His social media profiles have also attracted the investigators’ attention, as he is suspected of having posted photographs of himself posing with weapons. Authorities are now verifying whether the revolver used in the murder is the same weapon shown in those images.

Police are also reviewing a complaint filed by the 45-year-old woman in July 2024 at the Acropolis Police Station. She had reported an ex-partner who had not returned a motorcycle after their breakup. Investigators are trying to determine whether this person was the 48-year-old man.

The victim’s mother said that she knew of no relationship between her daughter and the perpetrator. According to her, the 45-year-old woman had separated from her former husband some time ago and had not told her about any other relationship.

The investigation continues to determine the exact motive and clarify the circumstances of the 45-year-old woman’s murder, followed by the perpetrator’s suicide.