Detectives have linked a stolen Mitsubishi Colt, found near Stavros Demosthenous’s home three days before the murder, to key suspects in the case. According to evidence presented in court, the 31-year-old Georgian-born Greek national, a childhood friend of the two 28-year-olds currently in Thessaloniki, allegedly arranged forged number plates matching those discovered on the stolen vehicle.
Who police believe pulled the trigger
Well-placed sources told Politis that police consider the 31-year-old to be the man who fired the fatal shots. He was re-arrested on Tuesday 4 November after Limassol CID investigators secured additional testimony implicating him further. He had initially been arrested on Saturday and is under an eight-day remand for allegedly playing a decisive role in helping the 28-year-old motorcycle rider flee to the occupied areas after the attack.
Court testimony states that on 26 September the 31-year-old visited a specific shop in Limassol and requested two identical licence plates bearing the same registration numbers as the counterfeit plates later found on the stolen Colt. The shop owner asked to see proof of ownership; the suspect said he would provide it later and, having won her trust, collected the plates without presenting any title. Investigators noted the shop is close to the suspect’s residence.
Remand applications and parallel arrests
Tuesday’s hearing concerned a police application to remand the 31-year-old in custody for the broader case (beyond the accessory-to-escape strand for which he is already held). In the same session, police sought a third remand renewal for a 30-year-old and a 58-year-old linked to the motorcycle purchase. Defence lawyers for those two objected; the proceedings are ongoing.
Two other suspects released
Separately, the court ordered the immediate release of two other suspects in the Demosthenous case. After reserving its decision on Monday, the court on Tuesday rejected the police request to extend their detention for eight more days. For the 45-year-old motorcycle owner it would have been a third renewal; for the 51-year-old, a second. In a detailed ruling, the court found no new or objective evidence to justify further custody of the 45-year-old.