Moscow, March 16, 2017
Photo: Romfea
Archimandrite Hierotheos (Kamitsis) was brutally murdered in his home in Gerakas, Greece on Friday, February 13. The rector of the Church of St. Geroge in Penteli, Greece was found tied to his bed, presumably suffocated by a pillow. As there were no signs of breaking and entering, police believed the perpetrator was known by Fr. Hierotheos.
Police now know that the perpetrators were two Pakistani men, aged 33 and 28, who have since fled back to Pakistan. They still believe that robbery was the motive, although the investigation is ongoing, reports Romfea. The two men had met on Facebook. Police were able to trace the crime back to them through online conversations that Ali, the younger murderer, had with Fr. Hierotheos online.
Police then learned that they had flown back to Pakistan just a few hours after the murder, and so far attempts to find them have been unsuccessful.
The two men had been working in a farm on the island of Crete and took a ferry to the mainland on February 13 to meet Fr. Hierotheos, supposedly for him to help them apply for residency permits. There were no signs of breaking and entering because the archimandrite had been expecting the men and warmly opened his house to them. After learning that they had been working on the farm, police were able to match DNA found at the crime scene with clothes they had left behind at the farm.
Police are awaiting the public prosecutor’s order to publicize the two men’s identities and release photographs.
The perpetrators are alleged to have stolen 4,000-5,000 euros ($4,290-$5,360), as well as jewelry and some of Fr. Hierotheos’ vestments.
A friend of Fr. Hierotheos was looking for him on the evening of Friday, February 13, and became very worried when she could not find him. After several hours of distress she called the police who arrived to his apartment just after midnight to find the priest dead, hog-tied to his bed.
