Authorities are still conducting the recovery operation for the body retrieved from the Loudias River near Thessaloniki. The remains were discovered early Friday morning (15 May 2026) by local fishermen. Though still officially unidentifiable, all evidence points to the victim being the 54-year-old man killed in the Malgara murder case.
Body found five kilometres from initial search area
The body was located in the Loudias River — approximately five kilometres away from the site where investigators first began their search. Notably, the two suspects — aged 43 and 44 — had confessed to the crime in Malgara and immediately indicated the exact spot where they dumped the body.
Although formal identification has not yet been completed, the condition of the remains matches the suspects’ earlier descriptions. According to their statements, they tied the victim to concrete blocks to ensure he would sink to the riverbed. Authorities confirmed today that the body was indeed found bound with wire and chains.
Due to advanced decomposition — specifically saponification — forensic identification is currently considered extremely difficult. As a result, authorities consider it nearly certain the remains belong to the 54-year-old victim, though formal confirmation awaits further analysis.
Confession and timeline
The suspects claimed the killing occurred last Saturday (9 May 2026), during an argument that escalated into violence. They alleged the victim had stolen pigeons from them — a dispute that allegedly prompted one of them to grab a firearm and shoot the 54-year-old.
After the shooting, they reportedly attached concrete blocks to the body and initially concealed it in the boot of their car before dumping it into the Loudias River.
A local resident who witnessed the suspects transporting the body contacted police immediately, describing their movements in detail. That tip triggered the investigation — and within hours, both men were arrested.
Since then, Hellenic Police units, supported by the Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit (EKAM), have conducted intensive searches across the area — ultimately leading to today’s discovery.
Legal developments
In connection with the Malgara murder, the primary suspect has been remanded in custody. His accomplice requested, and was granted, time to prepare his statement and appeared before judicial authorities today for questioning.