The inquest on the murder of American biologist Suzanne Eaton in Crete last year has been officially concluded.
Pantelis Zellios, 27, who confessed to killing her will now stand trial.
Greek lawyers Vasso Pantazi and George Tzeriz, representing the biologist’s family, said the murdered woman’s husband, two sons, mother and siblings had absolute confidence on the Greek justice system and expressed satisfaction with the result of the man’s cross-examination.
Eaton was raped and then murdered in July 2019 after going for a jog.
The alleged murderer did not revoke his confession or apologise for his crime. Psychiatrists who conducted an evaluation found no active psychopathology, and doctors who examined him “determined he was entirely aware of the inhumane actions he perpetrated” and “were astounded by his apathy, coldness and cynicism,” the two lawyers said.
Several local women came to testify that the perpetrator had consistently staged fake car accidents to immobilise women before sexually attacking them.
The lawyers said Eaten’s relatives “express their gratitude to all the Greeks for the hundreds of messages of support they have received.” The family said they would be present to testify in the trial.
Easton was in Crete to participate in a scientific conference at the Orthodox Academy of Crete before she went missing on 2 July 2019 after going for a jog. Following a search, her body was located five days later buried in rubble in an abandoned WWII bunker in the Maleme area of Chania, western Crete.
Zellios, a resident of Maleme, later confessed to running Eaton down in his car, raping and then strangling her.
