Latest finds in red lake raise questions

Police are flooded with phone calls concerning the serial killer case, while items discovered in the red lake are raising more questions for investigators.

(Click here for an update to story)

A strange find pulled out of the water on Wednesday at the red lake was initially deemed “unrelated” to the investigation, according to local media, but private forensic pathologist Marios Matsakis said he had a suspicion that a long piece of wood with sponges wrapped inside a rug could in fact be related to the case.

Matsakis speculated that the rug itself could contain blood stains or other biological fluids that someone might have wanted to throw away. He added that throwing such an object with weights to hold it underwater could also have been a test, if someone wanted to assess methods of throwing dead bodies in the red lake.

According to Kathimerini Cyprus, the discovery was sent to the lab for further testing despite officials raising doubts from the beginning as to whether it may be pertinent to the investigation.

Woman’s bra found in red lake

On Thursday, another discovery drew the attention of officials after a woman’s bra was retrieved and carefully examined. According to daily Politis, both finds could be unrelated to the case. But police are not taking any chances, according to on-site reports, and the bra has also been sent to the lab for further tests.

Suspicious suitcase in a dumpster

Police are also looking into a number of statements made by concerned citizens, including a restaurant owner who said she remembers an unexplained green suitcase in the dumpster outside her business establishment back in February.

The woman said she tried to move it but it was heavy and did not think that it was suspicious at the time. But a few days before the arrest of the suspect, she saw him at her restaurant where he dined with a group of friends. She later connected the dots in her mind after two suitcases were found at the red lake, with two bodies believed to be a missing Romanian woman and her daughter.

Police spokesperson Andreas Angelides said investigators are evaluating new information all the time, including the restaurant incident. But he confirmed to reporters on Thursday that no other areas were being examined besides the two lakes in rural Nicosia.

“We are the stage of evaluating this piece of information to determine whether or not any further action or a new search is needed in other areas,” Angelides said.

Search efforts in two lakes, Red Lake in Mitseros and Memi Lake in Xiliatos, were set to continue on Friday in search for two slain victims allegedly killed by Metaxas, also known as Orestis. Five bodies have been recovered so far while the suspect admitted seven murders, denying he killed more victims. He has also denied rape allegations after a young aspiring model came forward, saying he raped her and videotaped the act two years ago.

Experts believe that it is very likely there could be more victims. Police began tracking down potential victims or targets, all foreign women, whose phone numbers were found on a SIM card owned by the suspect. The Immigration office has also provided a list of foreign female domestic workers to assist investigators in crosschecking any missing women who also may have had contact with Orestis.

- Marry Rose Tiburcio, 38, Philippines (DNA confirmed)
- Sierra Graze Seucalliuc, 6, Philippines (missing, feared dead)
- Αrian Palanas Lozano, 28, Philippines (DNA confirmed)
- Maricar Valdez Arquiola, 30, Philippines (missing, presumed dead)
- Livia Florentina Bunea, 36, Romania (body identified)
- Elena Natalia Bunea, 8, Romania (body found)
- Asmita Khadka Bista, 30, Nepal (DNA pending)