Burned body case still a mystery

The police chief went on record on Monday to clarify that investigators were looking at all scenarios in the case of a burned body found in Larnaca, following earlier reports that foul play had been ruled out.

The case involves the finding of a burned body in an open field in Larnaca district on Sunday, where the fire department also responded to a fire in Softades, Kivisili village, where the remains had been spotted.

Fire fighters extinguished the fire while crime investigators and local police officers rushed to the scene, which was sealed off as a possible crime scene. The body was said to have been tied up and some unconfirmed reports said a lighter had been found near the charred remains.

But on Monday, according to Cyprus News Agency, police ruled out criminal activity which drew some media criticism and more questions as to the exact new information that had been discovered.

Police Chief Kypros Michaelides weighed in on the case on Monday late afternoon in an effort to set the record straight.

“There may be some indications but we are investigating the case and taking it very seriously in an effort to ascertain what exactly took place,” Michaelides said.

Larnaca police spokesperson Charalambos Zachariou had said on Sunday night that it was “too premature to say anything” about the case. Initial reports said the body was found tied up while police later said they determined during the course of the investigation that there were no signs of criminal activity.

“I wouldn’t say that differing answers were given by the police. I believe things are crystal clear as all scenarios are being investigated,” Michaelides said.

In the meantime, police have neither confirmed nor denied whether the body was found tied up. A post mortem conducted on Monday reportedly failed to reveal the exact cause of death, while tissue and DNA samples are expected to shed light on the identity and manner of death of the mystery person.

“I can only confirm that the body was found under suspicious circumstances,” Larnaca police spokesperson Charalambos Zachariou said on Sunday evening.