Newsroom
The suspect in last weekend’s murder has been arrested along with an alleged accomplice, with reports saying the two men had gone to the victim’s home in Limassol to rob her.
Police on Friday arrested Aistis Mikalauskas, a 29-year-old Lithuanian national, who was wanted for the murder of Iryna Hurskaya, a 36-year-old woman from Belarus.
Hurskaya’s body was found naked on her bedroom floor on Sunday, in her Limassol residence in Agios Tychonas, in a pool of blood with visible head injuries.
Mikalauskas, who was spotted by a concerned citizen in Agios Tychonas before noon Friday, was arrested after a police chase. He reportedly attempted to run away at the first sight of law enforcement officers but was apprehended further south in the Amathous area.
Reports that attacker and victim were having sex when the murder took place were described as false, after investigators learned he struck the woman in the head while she was sleeping in the nude
The main suspect, who had dyed his hair black, reportedly told police he went to the victim’s residence with another 24-year-old man, identified as the second suspect in the case, in order to burglarize Hurskaya’s home.
According to local media, the victim was said to have been romantically involved with Mikalauskas, who came to know about expensive jewelry in her home.
Police did not issue an official arrest report but confirmed a second suspect was detained, with local reporters saying the two men admitted the burglary to investigators.
Additional media reports said Mikalauskas appeared to have admitted killing Hurskaya while the second suspect, described also as a Lithuanian national, said he was present during the robbery.
Information from previous reports that Mikalauskas and Hurskaya were having sex when the murder took place were later described as false, according to local media, with Mikalauskas reportedly telling investigators he struck the woman in the head while she was sleeping in the nude.
After realizing the victim was still conscious, the attacker struck Hurskaya one more time, according to reports and then put her in a deadly chokehold.
The two suspects are expected to appear before a judge on Saturday for a remand hearing, facing multuiple charges including murder, conspiracy, and burglary.
