Soap opera actor Nikos Sergianopoulos was found stabbed to death in his apartment in Pangrati, eastern Athens, yesterday morning.

Police said the 56-year-old had been stabbed seven times. There were no signs of any forced entry at the property. Officers said that a number of empty bottles and beer cans were found on the premises. They believe that the murderer was one of the people who had been in the apartment with Sergianopoulos late on Tuesday night.

The actor’s body was found face down and in a pool of his own blood by the cleaning lady. Coroner Philippos Koutsaftis said that Sergianopoulos had probably been stabbed in the back first.

The actor ran into trouble last December when he was caught with 40 grams of cocaine, which forced him to publicly admit that he used drugs and was a heavy drinker.