Greek authorities are investigating the death of a 29-year-old coast guard officer on the island of Lesbos after he was found hanged outside a remote chapel on Good Friday.
While initial police assessments suggest suicide, the officer’s family strongly believes he was murdered. The victim, who was recently married and assigned to the narcotics unit, was discovered hanging from a marble cross near a chapel in the Sigri area.
According to the man who found him, the officer was barefoot, with one sock torn as if he had run or been dragged.
There was blood on his hands and possibly around his neck.
His nearby car was unlocked and had blood stains on the steering wheel, driver’s seat, and gear shift, the witness said.
The officer’s mother, speaking to Greek broadcaster Live News, recounted their final moments. “I only saw him for a few seconds.
He had a bloodied shirt and hands.
He said, ‘That bastard stabbed me. Give me a rope and I’ll take care of him.’ I asked who he meant, but he took off before I could follow,” she said.
The family maintains that the young man suffered multiple stab wounds, indicating a violent altercation before his death.
“He showed us three or four deep stab wounds,” his mother said. “There were cuts on his hands, his neck, and he had stitches on his head.”
The officer’s phone has been seized and is being examined by investigators for further clues. His relatives say he had received a death threat prior to his death, with a message left on his unmarked service vehicle reading, “They’ll find you dead.”
Despite their urging, the officer reportedly never filed a formal complaint, fearing for his safety.
“They damaged both his personal and service vehicles, threatened his wife and even their dog,” said his mother. “He was in a position where a lot of money changed hands.”
The case has garnered national attention and sparked widespread speculation.
Authorities have not yet issued a definitive ruling on the cause of death. An autopsy and forensic analysis are ongoing.