In two cases of extreme domestic violence yesterday, a 67-year-old pensioner murdered his 50-year-old partner in Volos, central Greece, while a 41-year-old man stabbed his 23-year-old wife more than 30 times in Pella, northern Greece, leaving her hospitalized.

In the first incident, Sokratis Sotiriou stabbed Yiota Valomenou to death in front of a small shrine in the backyard of his house. The pensioner is under police guard at a local hospital as he had trouble breathing after being arrested. Police are examining Sotiriou’s diary in the hope of gaining some clue about what led him to stab his partner.

In Pella, where those involved were not named, the 23-year-old woman was in stable condition after undergoing several hours of surgery. The 41-year-old man’s father was also treated for injuries after trying to disarm his son, who was arrested.