Nea Smyrni murder: 48-year-old’s wife says he had been leaving home for 18 months and left her €1,000

The wife of the 48-year-old man who killed a 45-year-old woman in Nea Smyrni before taking his own life has given police details about his behaviour in the months leading up to the incident.

According to Greek media reports, the woman said she had noticed significant changes in her husband about 18 months earlier. He often left their home and, on some occasions, spent the night away without explaining where he was.

She also stated that she felt afraid of him. Investigators are examining whether the 48-year-old had been involved with the 45-year-old woman, as well as the nature of their relationship.

Before leaving home for the last time, the 48-year-old had left his wife €1,000. He then went to Nea Smyrni, where he waited for the 45-year-old near her home.

Security cameras, whose footage is now in the possession of the authorities, are believed to have captured the moment the victim opened the door and stepped outside. At that point, the 48-year-old shot her before shooting himself.

The victim had told her sister: “I broke up with him because he was jealous”

Testimonies from the 45-year-old’s relatives are also part of the investigation. According to reports, she had told her sister that she had been in a relationship with a man but had ended it because of his jealousy.

The 45-year-old is believed to have told her sister that the man continued to insist even after their separation, while she was afraid of him.

On the evening the crime took place, the victim was alone in the apartment. Her daughter was not in Athens, as she had gone to Agrinio with her uncle.

Police examine the perpetrator’s electronic devices and past

Police are examining the 48-year-old’s phones and other electronic devices in an effort to find communications or evidence that could shed light on his relationship with the victim and the circumstances before the crime.

The weapon used in the murder and suicide is believed to have been held illegally.

At the same time, Greek authorities are checking the 48-year-old’s past in Albania. According to information published by Albanian media, he was arrested in Tirana in 2016 on suspicion of raping his wife. It is also reported that criminal proceedings for stalking had been considered against him.

The investigation remains open to clarify the exact motive for the murder and the history of the relationship between the 48-year-old and the 45-year-old.