Post-mortem held on Paphos murder victim

Paphos police continued their investigation Monday into the killing of a 74-year-old leukaemia sufferer by her husband, 74, who reportedly admitted seeking to put her out of her misery before trying to take his own life.

A post-mortem was carried out on Monday on the woman, who appeared to have been suffocated, and tissue and other samples were collected for further tests.

The husband was remanded in custody for eight days while he was being treated in hospital after trying to take his own life by taking pills.

The head of the district’s CID, Michalis Nicolaou, said officers were taking statements as part of the ongoing investigation into the killing, which took place at the British expats’ home at the village of Tremithousa on Saturday evening.

Police were alerted to the event by Interpol at around 8pm, after the husband’s brother in the UK, notified police that he had received an email from him saying he had killed his wife to end her suffering. The 74-year-old also said he planned to commit suicide.

State pathologist Nicolas Charalambous said Sunday that it appeared from marks to the woman’s face that she had been suffocated. Charalambous said the perpetrator had blocked the woman’s mouth and nose with their hands.

Officers who rushed at the scene found the woman dead in an armchair and the husband clinging to life nearby.

He was taken to hospital where doctors pumped his stomach in a bid to save his life.