Rescuer murdered on Syros: "My child slaughtered him" — new details emerge on earlier break-in
The father of 42-year-old Evangelia, murdered in Ano Syros on 23 July, spoke of his pain. New details confirm her presence on the island during an earlier break-in attempt.
Father of rescuer on Syros: "My child tortured him" — what the case file reveals about the first break-in
More than a month after the murder of 42-year-old rescuer Evangelia in Ano Syros, her father spoke to LIVE NEWS with words that were deeply moving. Evangelia lost her life on 23 July 2026 under circumstances that continue to be investigated by the authorities.
According to Newsbeast, the father of the deceased appeared visibly devastated during the interview. "I have never gone through such a dark period in my life. I lost my child. My child slaughtered him, in short. My child tortured him," he stated. He also referred to the photographs and images that remind him of his daughter: "Those are with me now."
The family's account of the motives
The 41-year-old defendant has claimed that Evangelia appeared at his home with covered features, black clothes and a hood, with the intention of robbery, and that he reacted in a state of lawful self-defence, wounding her with a knife to the back. According to the case file, he is subsequently alleged to have pursued her through the island's narrow streets, throwing objects at her.
The family categorically rejects the account of lawful self-defence. Evangelia's father believed that the perpetrator wanted to release intense anger at his daughter. "To deal with it like that, my child tortured him. He wanted not only to silence him, but wanted to unleash all the hatred, the wrath upon him," he stated.
Evangelia's uncle, who also spoke to LIVE NEWS, offered his own interpretation for why his niece visited that home. According to him, the rescuer covered her features to frighten the defendant and to convey a warning to him not to proceed with some action. "In those seven seconds that she was inside his home, it was just that conversation. I am one hundred per cent sure and without even having seen any video," he added. These claims constitute the family's account and are being examined as part of the investigation.
New details on the earlier break-in
Of particular interest in the case is an incident of burglary that had occurred at the same home a few days before the murder. The couple had initially claimed that at that time Evangelia had attempted to rob the residence — and the 41-year-old had stated that he did not recognise her, which according to him explains his reaction.
New details presented by LIVE NEWS appear to confirm that Evangelia was indeed present on Syros on the day of the first attempt. According to police correspondent Vasilis Lampropoulos, shipping records and ship tickets have been included in the case file and confirm her presence on the island. According to the same information, the 42-year-old had arrived on Syros one day before the break-in attempt and departed one day after.
This detail has caused concern among investigators, as people from Evangelia's circle had initially claimed that she did not frequently visit Syros and that she had not been there during that period. The authorities are now examining whether her presence is connected to the burglary and whether there is a direct relationship between the two incidents.
The safe room and the possible moral accomplice
An additional detail under examination concerns money that is said to have been kept in a special security room for a carbine inside the residence. According to Lampropoulos, someone appears to have attempted to open the specific space during the first attempt, without result, and returned later.
In this context, police are examining, among other scenarios, the possibility that there was another person behind the case, who was giving instructions to the perpetrator. The possibility of the existence of a moral accomplice is now part of the investigation, although the role or identity of any other person has not been confirmed.
Friend of defendant: "It was not intentional"
A contrary view was expressed by a friend of the 41-year-old, who stated he was convinced that the murder was not premeditated. "I cannot believe that something intentional happened. He was a very good friend of mine. I've known him since, he was a five-year-old child," he stated. His testimony comes in direct contradiction to the claims of Evangelia's family, which speaks of a calculated and organised act from the outset.
The investigation into the motives and circumstances of the murder of the 42-year-old rescuer on Syros is ongoing.
Source: Newsbeast