Two more arrests after brutal beating leaves man dead (Updated)

Two new arrests, men aged 24 and 25, were made late Thursday in connection with the death of a 61-year-old man in Latsia Nicosia on Wednesday night, police said.

The arrests bring the total to five. Three others a 35-year-old man, a 31-year-old woman, and a 26-year-old man were remanded by the Nicosia court for eight days on Thursday. The latest two suspects were remanded for seven says on Friday.

The victim, Dorotheos Demetriades, was found beaten up outside his apartment on Wednesday night.
Police found him after they received an anonymous tip about people attacking an individual in Latsia, Nicosia.

He told them that he was beaten by a group of people before passing out. However he did not regain consciousnes.

State pathologists were called to the scene and upon initial examination, determined that the 61-year-old had numerous external injuries.

During investigations at the scene, police secured witness testimony implicating the first three suspects who were arrested on Thursday.

According to reports following the court hearing on Thursday, the victim had become involved in a dispute between two women at the complex that had sparked up earlier in the day.

He was a relative of a woman who had complained to the 31-year-old female suspect about the disturbances caused by her children in the communal areas. The female suspect has four minor children with the 35-year-old male suspect.

The reports said that the attack on Demetriades had taken place in front of the children after he had allegedly gone to the couple’s apartment to discuss the dispute that had taken place earlier in the evening on the ground floor after he and his female relative had filed a complaint with Latsia police.

He had gone to the second-floor apartment around 7pm in an attempt to resolve the issues but the reports said the row escalated again and other people, several friends of the 35-year-old suspect arrived at the apartment.

Police investigators told the court that from testimonies they had gathered, and from CCTV, at some point, the 35-year-old was allegedly heard telling one of his children to go call others to help.

CCTV footage reportedly shows the victim lying on the ground at the entrance to the apartment. Five more people then arrive, including the 26-year-old suspect who was remanded with the couple on Thursday.

The victim, according to the reports was beaten while lying on the ground. He was then dragged to the stairs, all the while being kicked in the face and stomach.

He managed to get up and was dragged downstairs to the entrance of the building where he was found lying on his back by police. He died at 7.22pm and was certified as deceased at 10pm after state pathologists arrived at the scene.