Camera footage revealed suspect in American scientist’s murder
Security camera footage which placed the car of the main suspect in the murder of an American scientist in Crete near the World War II bunker where her body was found was the first evidence which led authorities to the detained 27-year-old man, a local website reported.
Suzanne Eaton’s body was found near the settlement of Xamoudochori, in Hania, nearly a week after she was last seen by friends on July 2.
An examination of the 59-year-old's remains by two local coroners reportedly indicated that she had had her mouth and nose blocked, though it remains unclear whether her death was the result of suffocation.
It was also unclear whether the crime was committed at the scene or the 59-year-old was killed elsewhere and disposed of in the cave.
Local police sources cited by Cretalive told the website officers also received information relating to a past incident involving the suspect, which was never reported to the authorities. No further details were provided on what that incident was.
The 27-year-old had posted photos and videos of his own explorations of the old bunker on his Facebook and YouTube accounts.
The suspect, who is a farmer and a father of two, was detained along with several other men, has reportedly confessed to the crime, but his account of the events has raised further questions which are being investigated, the website says.
Officers detained a total of 10 suspects in connection with the killing, whom they checked for possible scratches or bruises that would link them with the crime.
So far, officers believe the motive behind the crime was "sexual". The suspect, who owns a plot of land near the old German bunker and knows the area well, appeared to have selected his victim randomly.
Investigators are waiting for the results of the forensic tests and cellphone records.
A molecular biologist at the Max Planck Institute at Dresden University, Eaton had been on the island to attend a conference in Hania. She had visited Crete before for reasons related to her work. She is survived by her husband, British scientist Tony Hyman, and two sons.
Police in Crete is expected to hold a press conference providing more details on the incident later in the day.
