A chilling murder-suicide in Nea Smyrni, a southern Athens suburb, has gripped the nation. Early Sunday morning on 23 August 2026, a 45-year-old woman was fatally shot by her 48-year-old ex-partner — a man who then took his own life. The case has drawn intense scrutiny from Greek authorities and widespread public attention.
Investigation Focuses on Digital Traces and Recent Behavior
Police are meticulously examining the mobile phones and digital devices of both the suspect and the victim. According to reports, tensions between the two had been escalating since February of this year. The 48-year-old was married and father to a 19-year-old daughter. His wife told Star that he had displayed increasingly unusual behavior over an extended period — though she claimed to have been unaware of his relationship with the victim. She described him as devoted to her and their daughter, providing emotional and financial support.
A Daughter’s Disturbing Observations
The suspect’s teenage daughter gave a poignant account to investigators. She said she had noticed a marked shift in his demeanor roughly 18 months prior: frequent unexplained absences from home, nights spent elsewhere, and evasiveness when questioned about his whereabouts or personal life. ‘Even when I asked him, he wouldn’t answer,’ she recalled.
Final Hours: A Father’s Goodbye
In the hours before the tragedy, the suspect reportedly visited his daughter late Saturday night. According to his godmother — who spoke publicly on Alpha TV — he told the young woman, ‘You may never see me again.’ When she responded, ‘Dad, what are you saying?’, he did not elaborate. Earlier that evening, he had expressed deep affection for her and admitted feeling deeply distressed.
He also reportedly discussed his relationship with the 45-year-old victim — referred to by the godmother as ‘Melina’ — with his daughter, hoping she would meet her. But the daughter opposed the idea, out of respect for her mother. She knew her father was close to Melina but chose not to engage with the relationship, a stance that reportedly left him emotionally conflicted and heartbroken.
The godmother added that the suspect had left money for his wife before returning home around 4 a.m., waking her to say, ‘Take care of yourselves,’ before breaking down in tears. Authorities are now investigating whether romantic jealousy played a central role in the crime.