Two suitcases spotted outside Orestis’ home

Police went on high alert Monday morning after receiving information about two suitcases outside the residence of convicted serial killer Nikos Metaxas.

According to local media, a concerned citizen spotted two suspicious suitcases outside the former residence of convicted serial killer Nikos Metaxas, also known as Orestis, who is serving multiple life sentences for murdering five adult women and two children, all foreign nationals, three of whom were found inside suitcases at the bottom of a red lake in rural Nicosia.

Police on Monday morning rushed to the location in Lakatamia and were seen carrying out an on-site investigation as well as handling the suitcases and taking photographs.

No connection, no danger

The two suitcases were then collected by law enforcement while reports in the media said both were empty and “not dangerous.” No connections were reportedly drawn between the suitcases and Orestis.

Metaxas, a 35-year-old Greek Cypriot army captain and skilled photographer, pleaded guilty in June to all murder charges, one by one, admitting to killing Marry Rose Tiburcio and her daugther Sierra Graze Seucalliuc, Αrian Palanas Lozano, and Maricar Valdez Arquiola, all from the Philippines, as well as Romanian Livia Florentina Bunea and her daughter Elena Natalia Bunea, and Asmita Khadka Bista from Nepal.

All seven females had been reported missing to law enforcement officials, with state authorities including the President of the Republic later apologizing to the victims’ families for failing to investigate properly the disappearances of their loved ones.

A number of women, including a young aspiring model who accused Orestis of rape, came forward after his photo had been released as a suspect. But critical evidence is believed to have been destroyed or possibly lost forever, while Metaxas has also been formally accused of evidence tampering and obstruction of justice.

An ongoing investigation probing possible disciplinary and criminal offences by law enforcement has been extended into next month, with independent investigators saying the delay was due to the high volume of work that needed to be done.