New developments in the murder case of 75-year-old George Kariotis in Rhodes in June 2022 have come to light. Today (10/06), the 41-year-old man recently arrested as an alleged accomplice to the already convicted Evangelos Koulianos was ordered to remain in custody following unanimous agreement between the investigating magistrate and the prosecutor. The defendant was represented by defense attorney Dimitris Dimitriadis.
Read: Rhodes: What the 41-year-old alleged accomplice in George Kariotis murder revealed in testimony
According to dimokratiki.gr, the 41-year-old’s defense followed the same line as his statements during the preliminary investigation, without significantly altering his defensive strategy. However, the content of his testimony, combined with new evidence in the case file, sheds different light on a case that was considered closed after the victim’s son was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2023.
The 41-year-old Greek national was arrested on June 6, 2025, in Rhodes, charged with complicity in the murder of George Kariotis. He was located in the early hours of June 5 and arrested under warrant following a police investigation that revealed his DNA on crucial evidence: a towel and the rope used to strangle the victim.
Additionally, he faces separate charges for allegedly attacking a 57-year-old homeless man on June 4, attempting to strangle him with shoelaces to steal his mobile phone. A separate case was filed for robbery and attempted murder, and he testified today. Represented by defense attorney G. Lambadakis in this case, he was also remanded in custody. He claimed the 57-year-old owed him 280 euros and refused to repay it, stating he attacked him to pressure repayment.
The Key Testimony
The testimony of a 47-year-old woman who voluntarily approached the Rhodes Prosecutor’s Office in December 2024 proved crucial to the case. She claimed the real murderer was not Koulianos but the 41-year-old, with whom she had a personal relationship. She alleged he confided in her about Kariotis’ murder, describing in detail the break-in at the 75-year-old’s home with a drug-addicted woman from Thessaloniki and the violent killing.
According to the testimony, the 41-year-old allegedly stole 30,000 euros with the woman, which he spent on drugs. The witness claimed he confided that he subsequently killed his female accomplice and threw her into the sea with a stone around her neck to eliminate witnesses.
These allegations led to a new investigation, which revealed that during the period around Kariotis’ murder, nine women’s disappearances were reported nationwide, though not directly connected to Rhodes.
During his testimony, the 41-year-old admitted involvement in thefts and drug dealing but denied murdering Kariotis himself. He described the deceased as his father’s cousin, with whom he had past family connections. He referenced cooperation with Koulianos in drug trafficking, which allegedly brought them into conflict with suppliers when a cocaine shipment was lost.
According to his account, Koulianos told him his father had money hidden at home, suggesting they rob him. However, when he went to meet him after the act, he found the elderly man already dead. He claims Koulianos asked him to stage the scene to appear as a robbery and that he helped handle the body and clean the scene but did not participate in the murder.
