Man found guilty of killing wife, son

A 60-year-old man who murdered his wife and one of his two sons and attempted to kill the other in February of last year was found guilty of two counts of premeditated murder by Nicosia court.

The murder case in Ergates shocked Cyprus as a series of startling developments poured out following the murder spree: it was later reported that the suspect had killed before, when he was 15, and had spent nine years in psychiatric care – while the welfare services, the psychiatric services, and the police, came under fire following the murder for allegedly not acting before despite the signs being there.

It quickly emerged that the family had sought help from the police around two months earlier. Their situation was also known by the welfare services.

On Wednesday, the 60-year-old was found guilty of murdering his 52-year-old wife and 21-year-old son after he stabbed them, and for the attempted murder of his 26-year-old son who was also attacked with a knife. Premeditated murder carries a mandatory life sentence.

The court stated that: “He attempted to kill the elder son in two instances, firstly by strangling him with a cord around his neck. This attempt failed… a little while later he returned with the same knife, with which he had killed the others, and struck him [the 26-year-old] in the neck.”

While the court has found the man guilty, the sentences are expected to be announced shortly.

A state appointed psychiatrist evaluated the father and deemed him fit to follow court proceedings, further stating that his condition was stable since he was last treated in 1996.

In the immediate aftermath of the murders, the then 59-year-old suspect had fled the scene but was located and arrested by police a few hours later. He had been hiding in an abandoned shed in the Halepianes area of Tseri. The suspect had two knives on his person and assaulted the police officers but was eventually subdued.

The wife was found outside the family’s home while the son was inside.

The scene was discovered by the wife’s sister who lives next door and heard shouting.

Local media reported that in 1976, aged 15, the now 60-year-old killed his 10-year-old niece by stabbing her 17 times.

Soon after the killing spree in 2021, the family of his wife said they did not know about the murder. They were told he had done time in a psychiatric hospital because he was a pyromaniac.