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Cypriot authorities have made the first arrest in the high-profile killing of businessman and Karmiotissa football club president Stavros Demosthenous, marking a significant breakthrough in an investigation that has gripped the island since the daylight ambush on Friday morning.
The 44-year-old owner of a large-engine scooter, believed to have been used by the assailants to flee after torching their getaway van, was taken into custody early Sunday, police said. Authorities said the man will be questioned extensively, and his testimony is expected to play a pivotal role in the investigation. Additional arrests are anticipated as investigators pursue other individuals believed to be involved.
A calculated ambush
According to police sources and the Cyprus News Agency, the murder unfolded Friday morning when the 49-year-old businessman, traveling with his 18-year-old son, was ambushed by two men in a white van. Investigators said that as Demosthenous’s vehicle slowed on a curve, one gunman opened fire with an automatic weapon from the van’s rear, while another exited the passenger side to continue the assault.
The assailants then sped away, setting their van ablaze in Germasogeia before escaping on the scooter recovered by police in the Agios Tychonas area. Authorities reported that the scooter does not appear to have been stolen, a detail that helped trace it to its registered owner.
Evidence and forensic findings
Police are reviewing CCTV footage from both the crime scene and surrounding routes to reconstruct the killers’ movements, according to investigators. Forensic teams have also recovered bullet casings and a cap believed to belong to one of the shooters from the vehicle and the burned van.
An autopsy conducted Saturday by forensic pathologist Dr. Nikola Charalambous determined that Demosthenous died of severe craniocerebral trauma caused by gunshot wounds, striking him twice in the head. Investigators estimate that at least 13 shots were fired in total.
Expanding investigation
Authorities said they have taken statements from Demosthenous’s family members, business associates, and his private security chief. The businessman’s son, who witnessed the attack, is considered a key witness.
Police spokesperson Christodoulos Konsolos told reporters, “A number of statements have been taken and are being evaluated, and evidence related to the case has been collected.” He also confirmed that investigations into the premeditated murder are ongoing.
The murder has garnered intense public attention in Cyprus, where contract-style killings are rare. For now, police are focused on tracing the network behind the attack and determining whether it was linked to Demosthenous’s business dealings or his role in professional football.
Sunday’s arrest marks the most significant step yet toward identifying those who ordered and executed the killing, authorities said, as investigators continue efforts to determine the full scope of the crime.
With information from CNA and 24news.
