The family of a 25-year-old Greek mother of two murdered in Germany 31 years ago have accused Greek prosecutors and police of inaction against the murderer.

The murderer, Spiridon K., has recently died in Greece. He killed Garifalia Z. in April 1989 in a parking lot in Plettenberg with eight pistol six shots as her girlfriend tried to stop him. Plettenberg is a small town of about 25,000 45 km from Dortmund.

The Greek lawyer of the victim’s family, Dr. Konstantinos Goumagias, writes in a letter to the Greek internet platform thespro.gr: “The family of the victim was not informed about the arrest of Spiridon K. For 31 years the Greek police made no attempt to arrest him, although it had tips that he was in Greece.”

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The attorney adds that neither had the Greek authorities immediately informed the German prosecutors about Siridon K.‘s death. This was told to Dr Goumagias by the responsible prosecutor, Dr Gerhard Pauli.

Responding to questions from the online news portal come-on.de the Hagen based prosecutors office confirmed that by Monday of this week they had not had any information from Greece. They had asked for it and would again.

Dr Goumagias sharply condemns both the inaction on tips about Spiridon K.’s whereabouts as well as the non-notification about his death in an Athens hospital.

“That way the relatives of the victim could at least have belatedly felt that the Greek state was taking them seriously.”
“It is tragic that this is not the only case I represent in which a murderer could flee to Greece after the killing and continue to live there undisturbed,“ the Düsseldorf-based lawyer wrote.

“There are many thoughts, many open questions. According to Greek media Spiridon K. would sit often on a bench at the beach of Amphilochia, tears flowing,” says Grigorios Alexiou, the brother of the murdered woman.

He offers more information about the alleged violent past of the late killer of Garifalia Z.

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Spiridon K. allegedly tried to kill his brother-in-law out of jealousy. Alexious also talks of the rape of an under-age girl while he lived in Plettenberg.

Plettenberg detective, Wilfried Böcker, responsible for the case at the time, says he can’t confirm that accusation. “I have no information about it.” The first he heard of it was from a newspaper.

“Our family is relieved at his death, others as well whom he’s caused pain,“ comments Grigorios Alexiou. But they would have preferred his being handed over to Germany.

The brother of the victim does not regard the tears supposedly spilt at Amphilochia as a sign of remorse but a sign of self-pity.

“In our view they were tears about the misery he found himself in. He was never in the situation, never able, to start a family of his own. He always tried to take what he desired violently,” comments Alexiou. The entire family were wondering who funded Spiridon K.‘s life in Greece.

“On behalf of our families we thank the German judiciary, especially Wilfried Böcker, who helped us with much empathy and warmth,” says Alexious, who also thanks attorney Goumagias.

Thirty years ago the Plettenberg murder featured in a national TV program about unsolved cases, which appeals to viewers to come forward with any helpful information.

Written by a Neos Kosmos reader in Germany