The investigation into the killing of businessman Stavros Demosthenous in Limassol is accelerating, with police issuing two additional arrest warrants. At the same time, the 51-year-old man detained on Sunday is appearing before the Limassol District Court for a remand order, while the eight-day detention of the first suspect, a 45-year-old, expires today.
The first arrest came on Saturday 18 October, one day after the murder, followed by three more on Sunday. A fifth detention involved a 30-year-old inmate from the Central Prisons. According to what is known so far, those arrested appear to have had supporting roles rather than direct involvement in the ambush, and all deny any connection. The sixth arrest, of the 51-year-old, may open a new cycle of detentions as investigators try to reach the executioners.
Who the suspects are
Case material links a 45-year-old to the motorcycle believed to have been used in the getaway; he denies involvement, saying he sold the bike and naming the buyers. A 30-year-old is alleged to have helped purchase the motorcycle with a 58-year-old; the pair reportedly contacted the 45-year-old the day after the murder and offered money for him to declare the bike stolen. The 58-year-old’s role appears limited to the motorcycle’s chain of custody, though his involvement remains under investigation. A 39-year-old Greek national is being examined after his double-cab vehicle was seen near multiple scenes alongside the motorcycle and the white van used by the perpetrators; he acknowledges being in the area but denies any role and presents alibis under review. Another 30-year-old, arrested inside the Central Prisons and said to share a cell with a remand prisoner in the Thanasis Kalogeropoulos case, was named by a fellow suspect as the person who gave instructions for the motorcycle purchase; he denies involvement and is exercising his right to remain silent. The most recent arrest concerns a 51-year-old, reportedly also a Greek national, who had been under surveillance in recent days; investigators have not disclosed details of his suspected role, but the detention is viewed as potentially significant.
Another stolen car near the victim’s home
Twelve days before the murder, a resident reported to Limassol CID that his blue Mitsubishi Colt had been stolen while left unlocked near Agios Antonios Church. The same vehicle was found parked outside Sfalaggiotissa Cemetery on 14 October 2025, just three days before the killing. It carried fake licence plates, and inside officers discovered two containers filled with flammable liquid.
Investigators later determined, using surveillance footage, that the stolen Mitsubishi was connected to the white van used by the perpetrators in the ambush that killed Demosthenous.
According to police findings, individuals were observed in the victim’s neighbourhood on 9, 10, 12, 13, and 14 October, arriving on a motorcycle, entering both the Mitsubishi Colt and the white van, and driving together along a route toward Demosthenous’s home and the crime scene. Authorities believe the containers of fuel found in the Mitsubishi were intended to set fire to the van after the murder.
DNA link and denial of involvement
A week after the killing, on 24 October 2025, police received what they described as reliable intelligence implicating the 51-year-old in the car theft. He was arrested under a warrant and has denied any connection to both the theft and the murder. However, DNA samples he provided matched genetic material found on the cap of one of the fuel containers inside the stolen Mitsubishi.
The suspect has since given new statements under questioning, which are now under investigation. Police requested an eight-day extension of his detention.
Delays in police response raise questions
The revelations have also raised questions about police handling of the case, as the stolen vehicle was located near the victim’s home three days before the killing. Despite this, the investigation appears to have advanced only after the murder, even though nearby CCTV footage could have shed light on the situation earlier and possibly prevented the crime.
Today’s focus is on the remand hearing for the 51-year-old and on whether the 45-year-old’s initial eight-day detention will be extended. The detentions of the 30-, 39- and 58-year-old suspects expire on Tuesday. Police are expected to seek an extension for the 30-year-old inmate, while decisions regarding the 39- and 58-year-old suspects will follow.