Arrest warrant issued for suspect in Limassol tavern murder

Police on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for one of two individuals identified as having lunch with Ernesto Leonides, 47, at the time he was shot dead in broad daylight on February 8.

Authorities identified the person as a 48-year-old man from Georgia.

Both this man, as well as a 57-year-old, also from Georgia, had fled the scene after three gunmen walked into a Limassol taverna and fired shots at Leonides, killing him.

To date four persons have been placed under arrest: a 25-year-old Russian and a 24-year-old Georgian – believed to have driven the shooters to the crime scene – as well as a 32-year-old woman from Latvia and a 36-year-old businessman, also a Latvian national.

Police are also seeking a 31-year-old Georgian, thought to be one of the perpetrators; a 28-year-old Georgian linked to the vehicle that brought the perpetrators to the taverna; and a 29-year-old Russian national who is the brother of the 25-year-old already in custody.

Authorities have yet to identify two of the three shooters.

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