POLICE are investigating a case of suspected premeditated murder, after a Greek Cypriot man yesterday reportedly admitted to killing his Bulgarian partner at their home in Alethriko village near Larnaca.
Police suspect the 42-year-old victim – Spaska Karamarinova – was strangled by her builder boyfriend, after finding marks on the dead woman’s neck as well as scratches on his face and torso, indicating that the victim had put up a fight. Their suspicions are expected to be backed by the post-mortem today.
The incident took place while their seven-year-old son was asleep next door. The 52-year-old suspect then left Karamarinova’s lifeless body at home, with their young son sleeping in the room next door, while he went to the police to say he thought she was dead.
“Police are investigating the circumstances behind the death of a 42-year-old foreign woman, who has been cohabiting with a Greek Cypriot man for the past six to seven years,” said Deputy Chief of Operations, Andreas Krokos. “Her partner went to Larnaca Police Headquarters (yesterday) morning and after making some claims, he told policemen that she was possibly dead,” he added.
Officers from Larnaca CID and the Police Headquarters’ Crime Service rushed to the couple’s home. “They found that the woman was indeed dead in the bed,” said Krokos, who added that marks on her neck made officers feel she had fallen victim to a criminal offence.
“The post-mortem will be carried out (today) to determine the exact causes of the woman’s death,” said Krokos. “Meanwhile, the suspect has been arrested by police for an under-investigation case of premeditated murder.”
According to Krokos, the incident took place in the early hours of yesterday morning, just before the 52-year-old suspect had arrived at the police station, at 7 am.
The couple, he added, had been living together for the past six to seven years and had a six-year-old son together. Karamarinova also has two other daughters, from a previous relationship, while the suspect, who is a refugee from Kalopsida, has four other children from his first marriage.
Krokos said the suspect appeared to suffer from psychological issues and was under observation by a doctor.
Pathologist Nicolas Charalambous said the exact reasons behind the woman’s death would become clear after today’s post-mortem.
“At first view the woman’s death seems to be down to a criminal act and we are examining the possibility of strangulation,” said Charalambous.
The couple’s young son was sleeping in the room next door when the incident took place. Police said the little boy had been left at home with his dead mum while his father went to the police.
Karamarinova’s two daughters, aged 20 and 22, were summoned to collect their half brother.
The 52-year-old will be taken to Larnaca District Court today for his remand hearing.
