Tenant confesses to murder of landlady Stavroula Leventaki in Chania; wife claims police frame-up

The killing and the medical evidence

Stavroula Leventaki, 45, was killed on the afternoon of 30 May after going to inspect the house she rented to the suspect. According to his confession, an argument erupted over damage to the property, and he struck her with a wine bottle. When she tried to call for help, he taped her mouth shut and stabbed her twice in the chest with a kitchen knife. Believing her dead, he washed the knife, only to hear her cry out again. He then grabbed a wooden log and delivered multiple blows to her head.

The blows to the head were the ones that caused the fatal injury.

An autopsy confirmed severe craniocerebral injuries as the cause of death. The knife wounds were superficial and did not penetrate the thorax; no signs of strangulation were found. Samples from the body have been sent for further laboratory tests.

Cover-up and staged robbery

After the killing, the suspect withdrew a total of €1,800 from ATMs using the victim's bank cards, where the PIN had been written. The withdrawals were designed to mimic a robbery. He also attempted to shift suspicion onto a third party, possibly a foreign worker, by disposing of the cards. He bound the body with plastic ties, wrapped it in bags, cleaned the house of blood evidence, and the next morning buried the corpse in a field in Vatolakkos, about five kilometres from the scene.

The suspect's deception and the brother's call

In a leaked phone call with the victim's brother, the suspect feigned ignorance and distress, claiming he was "terrified" and that he "just wanted her to be found." He said he would be happier to hear she was located "than to become Onassis overnight." Police had already focused on him in the early hours of the disappearance, and forensic tests on the television, floor, mop, and his van eventually linked him to the killing. Under the weight of the evidence, he confessed and led investigators to the burial site.

Wife's defence and conflicting narratives

Speaking to the media, the suspect's wife maintained his innocence and described the case as a setup. She said she has known him for 25 years and that he "would not even hurt an ant." She alleged the confession was made because his life or that of his family was threatened. She also spoke disparagingly of the victim, remarking that "she stank even when alive." Police have not corroborated the suspect's claim of a sexual motive; the investigation suggests the trigger was a financial dispute over the property.

Legal proceedings

On the morning of Tuesday, the suspect appeared before the judicial authorities. He was first to answer charges of cultivating 13 cannabis plants found in another field he owns. After the homicide charge of intentional murder is formally filed, he is expected to request a deadline to prepare his defence. The funeral of Stavroula Leventaki will be held on Wednesday at the Holy Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour in Varypetro, Chania.