A 43-year-old man arrested in Chania on Friday, 19 June 2026, on drug-related charges has claimed he is being threatened—and fears for his life—in connection with the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 45-year-old Stavroula Levendaki. The woman has been missing for 21 days from Varipetro, a village near Chania on Crete.
Bloodstains Found at Suspect’s Residence
Investigators discovered bloodstains at the suspect’s home—two distinct spots, one reportedly on the television set—which forensic experts believe may belong to Levendaki. Authorities have also seized the suspect’s sponge, as part of efforts to determine whether there was an attempt to clean or tamper with evidence. Lab analysis is still underway.
A Tense Relationship and Contradictory Statements
The case involves three police interviews with the suspect—a Macedonian national—who has reportedly given inconsistent statements and is now considered the prime suspect. Hours after his latest testimony, he vanished, prompting a large-scale police manhunt. He was later found hiding in the Agia area, where officers apprehended him.
Claims of Intimidation
In an interview with the TV show Fos sto Tunnel (Light in the Tunnel), the suspect said he went into hiding out of fear. “My life is in danger,” he stated. “I’m Stavroula Levendaki’s tenant. I’m at risk from her brother and one of his friends.”
He alleged that, shortly after her brother left his apartment, a masked man armed with a firearm entered and threatened him—not to harm him or Levendaki, but to pressure her into signing over property to someone named Giannis. “He told me: ‘I won’t hurt you or Stavroula—I just want to scare her so she writes everything down for Giannis,’” the suspect recounted.
He further claimed the man instructed him not to speak to anyone until Levendaki herself had spoken with him—and insisted he believed the brother had sent the armed individual to intimidate him. According to the suspect, the plan was to intercept Levendaki when she visited his home—a schedule known to her family—and coerce her into transferring assets.
Legal Next Steps
Authorities are expected to seek a formal arrest warrant, following forensic findings and mounting investigative leads. The suspect was brought before prosecutors shortly after his arrest.