The death of the elderly man kept frozen for years by his 55-year-old son inside a hotel in Mystras has been attributed to natural causes, according to initial forensic findings.
Mystras: First findings of the forensic examination
The initial forensic examination confirmed that the elderly man died of natural causes. However, a full and thorough autopsy has not yet been possible, as the body remains in a state of deep freeze.
The possibility of criminal foul play has, for now, been ruled out. Genetic material and tissue samples have been collected from the body for toxicological and histological analysis, with the final forensic report expected to be released in the coming days.
Timeline of events
The shocking case, which came to light on Tuesday afternoon (August 4), has sent shockwaves through the local community in Mystras, Laconia.
Authorities discovered a man’s body during a routine inspection of a local hotel, subsequently revealing it to be that of a 90-year-old man who had shown no signs of life for approximately two and a half years.
According to an official police announcement, the 55-year-old son is accused of concealing his father’s death in order to continue collecting the elderly man’s pension.
Shortly after the discovery, police confirmed the arrest of the 55-year-old in an official statement.
Sources indicate that the suspect claimed his father had died of natural causes.
The “ghost” hotel
According to notospress.gr, residents of Mystras say they had not seen the elderly man for around five years. However, since he was reportedly suffering from dementia, locals assumed his absence could be explained by his condition.
Meanwhile, the 55-year-old’s hotel — in the basement of which he had installed a commercial freezer to conceal his father’s body — had become a virtual “ghost” property.
The same sources report that the elaborate security and isolation measures put in place by the suspect — including signs, chains, and traffic cones blocking access — were precisely what aroused the suspicions of local residents.
He reportedly denied entry and even access to anyone who approached the premises, including electricity company technicians and other utility workers, while the entire property had been equipped with a network of surveillance cameras.
How police closed in on the 55-year-old
According to ERT, the repeated contradictions in the 55-year-old son’s statements during police questioning heightened investigators’ suspicions and ultimately led to his arrest.
Initially, the suspect claimed his father was living in Kaisariani, Athens. In a subsequent statement, however, he admitted that his father had died of natural causes approximately two and a half years ago — and that he had kept the body locked in the freezer ever since.
