Larnaca murder suspect arrested (update 4)

Police on Monday arrested a man wanted for the murder of 40-year-old Panayiotis Christodoulou, which took place in Larnaca earlier in the day.
Christodoulou, who is from Kamares and had four children under 18, had been gunned down at a Larnaca bar at around 5.20am.
An arrest warrant had been issued for 45-year-old Giorgos Xiourouppas who was arrested at around 2pm at Kato Pyrgos in the Tylliria area.
He was spotted near the crossing to the north by an officer who was off-duty. A pistol, believed to be the murder weapon, was found in his possession.
Xiourouppas, who reportedly had expressed the wish through his lawyer that he wanted to surrender, was taken to the Larnaca CID for questioning.
He had tried to flee to the north from Pergamos shortly after the killing, but when he handed over his ID to the checkpoint officer, he apparently realised that they were already alerted, so he fled, leaving his ID behind.
Police were told that the two men had arranged to meet at the bar, in a side road off Makarios Avenue, to resolve some differences they had. The pub, according to CyBC, had belonged to George Georgiou, also known as Chiquito, who was gunned down outside his home in Pyla, in March.
A row ensued and the suspect allegedly pulled out a gun and fired a number of shots at the victim. The pub’s other customers told police they saw Xiourouppas draw a gun and shoot Christodoulou, and then fled with his car. At the crime scene, police located 13 shells.
“The victim suffered a number of gunshot wounds,” apparently from a pistol, Larnaca police spokesman Charalambos Zahariou said.
State pathologist Sophocles Sophocleous said the victim had gunshot wounds to the head, chest, abdomen, arm and leg.
Police said the victim had been arrested in connection with possession of a small quantity of cannabis a few days ago.
Christodoulou believed Xiourouppas was the one who informed on him.
Before the fatal meeting, the two men met in two other bars in Larnaca.
Christodoulou’s post mortem is to be carried out on Tuesday.

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