A 27-year-old suspect has been arrested by police for the murder of US biologist Suzanne Eaton. According to local media, the father of two has confessed the heinous crime that shocked the communities in Crete, Greece and around the globe.
The farmer is married and a father of two, he is from Maleme and lives in Kissamos area together with his family.
According to local flashnews, despite all his attempts to cover the crime by throwing the body of the 60-year-old scientist in an old German bunker, he made a grave mistake that led police to his detention.
Traces of the car he used to transfer the body were found outside the bunker where the body was found.
The traces the car tires left on the soil, other findings in the crime scene as evaluation of mobile phone signals on the day Eaton went missing helped police make the murderer’s profile and limit the circle of suspects.
The suspect’s grave mistake was that while he was inside the bunker disposing Eaton’s body his mobile was turned on, leaving behind digital footprint that was easy for police to detect during investigation.
The perpetrator’s identity was ultimately revealed, police arrested him early Monday afternoon.
In the hands of police is reportedly also a foreign laborer who was working for the 27-year-old farmer. The laborer allegedly helped the murderer to transfer and hide the body in the bunker.
Suzanne Eaton went missing from the Orthodox Academy in Kolymbari, Chania, where she was attending a conference. Her body was found on July 9. 2019.
There is only a short police statement about the suspect.
Στην Υποδιεύθυνση Ασφάλειας Χανίων έχει προσαχθεί ένας 27χρονος ο οποίος εξετάζεται για την υπόθεση ανθρωποκτονίας 60χρονης, υπηκόου Η.Π.Α. που βρέθηκε νεκρή την 08-07-2019.
— Ελληνική Αστυνομία (@hellenicpolice) July 15, 2019
Apprehension of the murderer was top priority for Greek police.
UPDATE 1
Sexual motive: The man reportedly confessed that he had a sexual motive and admitted that he is a voyeur.
According to information leaked to the press, the farmer said that he was turned on when he saw Eaton and that he hit her 2-3 times with his car. He then loaded the body of the injured woman on his car and drove to the bunker, where he killed her closing her mouth and nose.
The suspect denied sexual assault.
He reportedly told police “I don’t know why I did it but when I see a woman I want to fall on her.”
The man is reported to have property in Xamoudohori, the area where the German bunker is located and Eaton’s body was found.
From the very beginning of the investigation police was focusing on locals as very few people knew about the bunker.
So far, the suspected has made a verbal confession and denied that he had an assistant.
Citing police source, Alpha TV reported that the man was known to police and that he was psychical ill.
According to media, the man was known in his village for his voyeuristic habit, however, nobody ever officially complained about him to authorities.
According to local media cretapost, the suspect had explored the German bunker three years ago and had posted videos on his YouTube channel.
Police investigation continues as results from histologic tests will prove whether Eaton was also sexually assaulted.
The suspect is expected to be taken to the crime scene for the reconstruction of the crime tomorrow Tuesday or on Wednesday.
KTG understands that the suspect’s testimony has some gaps and some of his claims do not seem to match with previous information, however, one should not all information available right now are based on leakages by the police to several members of the press.
UPDATE Greek Police revealed on Tuesday appalling details about the murder of Suzanne Eaton