Significant developments have emerged in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Stavros Demosthenous, with police uncovering fresh evidence that could lead to new arrests. So far, six people have been arrested, while two additional suspects remain wanted since Sunday. Their identities have not been disclosed, as police treat them as a “closely guarded secret”.
The latest arrests concern a 44-year-old, the registered owner of a motorcycle linked to the crime, and a 51-year-old Greek Cypriot who was traced through DNA evidence connected to another stolen vehicle. Both men appeared before the Limassol District Court on Monday, which, after a lengthy hearing and a three-hour adjournment, approved the police request for eight days’ remand.
Another stolen vehicle emerges
According to evidence presented in court, twelve days before the murder, on 5 October 2025, a priest reported the theft of his blue Mitsubishi Colt, which had been left unlocked outside the Church of Agios Antonios in Limassol.
Just three days before the murder, on 14 October, the car was discovered parked outside Sfalangiotissa Cemetery, about 500 metres from Demosthenous’s home. It bore fake licence plates from a similar car and contained two petrol canisters filled with flammable material.
Further investigation linked the stolen Mitsubishi to the white van used by the perpetrators in the murder. Surveillance footage obtained by the authorities shows both vehicles being used together in the days leading up to the crime.
Suspects surveyed the neighbourhood
Police evidence indicates that, between 9 and 14 October, individuals arrived near Demosthenous’s home on a motorbike, parked it, and then boarded the Mitsubishi Colt and the white van before following identical routes towards both the victim’s house and the crime scene. Investigators believe these movements suggest repeated reconnaissance missions by the assailants.
The police suspect that the petrol canisters found in the Mitsubishi were intended to set fire to the van after the killing. Acting on new intelligence received a week after the murder, investigators arrested the 51-year-old on 25 October, believing he was involved in the vehicle theft. Although he denies any connection to the crime, DNA traces matching his genetic profile were found on one of the petrol canisters. He later provided a second statement, offering new claims that remain under investigation.
Two more suspects wanted
During the court hearing, police revealed that two additional arrest warrants have been issued, and both suspects are now actively sought. While their exact roles remain unclear, sources suggest they may have been in contact with the 51-year-old during the days before the murder.
The revelations have raised serious questions about police handling of the case. The stolen Mitsubishi Colt had been discovered near Demosthenous’s home three days before the killing, with fake plates and flammable material inside yet no immediate action was taken.
Questions over police response
Had investigators followed up more thoroughly or analysed nearby CCTV footage earlier, the murder might have been prevented, according to case observers. The footage now shows both stolen vehicles moving repeatedly through the victim’s neighbourhood in the days leading up to the attack.
The pattern of activity indicates that the killers were monitoring Demosthenous’s movements, likely waiting for the right moment to act. Despite the risk of police detection after the Mitsubishi was found, they proceeded with their plan, demonstrating a determined intent to carry out the assassination at any cost.
Ongoing investigation
According to evidence presented in court, the investigation remains incomplete, with major parts of the puzzle still missing. Police are reviewing a large volume of evidence, much of it from CCTV footage requiring frame-by-frame analysis.
Authorities believe at least one more motorcycle was used in the days leading up to the murder and do not rule out the involvement of additional support vehicles. Although investigators lean toward the theory that the gunmen fired from the back doors of the van, this version has not yet been confirmed, as alternative scenarios remain under consideration.
Meanwhile, the three other suspects aged 30, 39, and 58, are expected to reappear in court tomorrow for remand extensions. They are linked respectively to the motorcycle chain and the double-cabin vehicle used in the operation. Should the two wanted men be apprehended before then, they will also be brought before the court as part of the same joint investigation file.