Police still seeking motive for gangland murders

Police were on Monday continuing efforts to establish the motives for the gang-related murders of Thanasis Kalogeropoulos and Alexis Mavromichalis last week, police spokesman Christos Andreou said.

Speaking to the state broadcaster, Andreou said that to date, police were certain of the involvement of two men depicted on CCTV made public that shows them riding off on a getaway motorbike from the area where a car was incinerated after the first of the two murders.

Police now believe that a 41-year-old suspect was both the motorcycle’s driver and the shooter who fired at Kalogeropoulos with a pistol.

Two suspects, a 41 and a 44-year-old, were on Sunday taken to court following their arrest the day before, after police gathered testimony of their involvement in the death of Kalogeropoulos.

According to the police, the 44-year-old appears to have been sheltering the 41-year-old motorbike driver at his home, and one other perpetrator. The identity of the bike’s passenger is as yet undetermined, Andreou said.

Despite the arrests, the motive behind Kalogeropoulos’ execution remains a mystery. Investigations have revealed that the planning, organisation and execution of the murder took place in the 44-year-old’s mansion.

The two suspects appeared in court, facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder, premeditated murder, possession, carrying and use of firearms, possession, carrying and use of explosives, arson and theft of a motor vehicle. They entered the courtroom wearing bulletproof vests and were accompanied by heavy security.

Kalogeropoulos, 55, had been shot 10 times in broad daylight on Monday, which was followed by the killing of Alexis Mavromichalis, aka Alexoui, a day later.

On Sunday, the court heard that the second suspect, 44, had a meeting with Kalogeropoulos ten days prior to the murder, according to what he told police.

Police said that the suspect had met with Kalogeropoulos to discuss illegal gambling activities.

According to what was said in court, during a search of the man’s home, police found evidence, likely connected to the murder of Kalogeropoulos, including security camera footage, mobile phones and clothes in a bin that did not belong to him.

The court heard that the second suspect is not involved in the shooting and escape but had been giving shelter to the 41-year-old, who had been living with him.

Police arrested the 44-year-old on the charge of aiding and conspiring to murder. Both suspects have been sought for other crimes in the past, the court heard.

One report said that as the suspects left the court, Kalogeropoulos’ friends gathered to shout and hurl insults at the suspects.