A 31-year-old betting-shop owner was found dead of multiple stab wounds on the Aegean island of Lesvos yesterday, after the man who murdered her confessed and led authorities to the scene where he had dumped her body, police said.

Haralambos Christofias told police he killed Anastassia Hadzidiakou, then took authorities to the forested area where he had deposited her corpse.

Christofias had left Hadzidiakou in a water hole, which local farmers use as a drinking water source for their livestock.

Police helicopters, soldiers, coast guards and volunteer rescue teams had spent days searching the island for Hadzidiakou. Her fiance reported her missing on Sunday.

The woman had gone to collect a 14,000-euro debt from the 24-year-old Christofias.

Authorities said Christofias had racked up the debt by playing the Pame Stoichima game run by OPAP.