Husband of Deceased Wife Remanded After Hospital Release

A 48-year-old murder suspect was remanded for an additional six days on Saturday, a day after being released from the Athalassa psychiatric hospital, police said.

The man is the main suspect in the murder of his ex-wife in Tremithousa, Paphos.

The murder occurred on June 14, and the suspect was hospitalized three days later. Police reported that after his release from the psychiatric facility on Friday, the man was arrested and appeared in court earlier on Saturday, where he was remanded for six days.

Following the murder, the suspect was taken to Paphos General Hospital with stomach injuries sustained during a fight with his ex-wife before her death.

Neighbors reported hearing the couple arguing violently in the woman’s apartment. At some point, the altercation turned physical, and the man is accused of stabbing his ex-wife to death.

Under circumstances still under investigation, the woman, 41-year-old Petya Krateva, either fell or was thrown from the apartment balcony.

She was pronounced dead upon arrival at Paphos General Hospital.

Neighbors said they had attempted to contact the police as soon as the fighting started but experienced difficulty reaching the appropriate department, which delayed the arrival of officers.

Alphanews shared a screenshot of an individual who had called the police four times without success. “After it was all over, they got here,” the person said.

Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis ordered an investigation into the femicide to determine whether there was a delay in the police response to the incident, which occurred in broad daylight, alarming neighbors who said they had tried repeatedly to reach authorities.

Hartsiotis assured that if the investigation finds negligence on the part of the police, those responsible will be held accountable.

In the meantime, two officers have been suspended as part of a disciplinary investigation involving a total of seven police members.

According to police spokesman Christos Andreou, the preliminary report from the investigating officer appointed last week indicated that further investigation was necessary.