A self-confessed serial killer was remanded in custody for another eight days on Tuesday as a search continues at two lakes for two of his victims.
The 35 year old army officer has reportedly confessed to killing five women and two children. Five bodies have been recovered but authorities are still combing two lakes to find the bodies of two other victims – a 30 year old woman and a six year old girl.
The suspect, who went by the online name of Orestis, was taken to court under tight security for the fifth renewal of his remand. Today’s is most likely the last renewal as authorities prepare to file formal charges against him in the Nicosia Criminal Court by May 29.
He again appeared without a lawyer and was calm and collected throughout the procedure, reporters at the scene said.
Police investigator Ioannis Yiorkatzis told the court that police have so far taken 550 statements and have another 70 to take. They have also taken 427 items of evidence, while the results of various tests are still pending.
Twice the suspect replied ‘no’ when asked whether he had any questions to make to the police witness and to whether he objected to the renewal of his remand.
Orestis has reportedly confessed in a statement he wrote out in his own hand on April 25 that he killed Mary Rose Tubiurco and her six year old daughter Sierra, Arian Palanas, Maricar Valdez, Livia Florentina Bunea and her eight year old daughter Elena Natalia Bunea as well as Ashmita Khachta Bista.
The bodies of Mary Rose and Arian were found in an abandoned mine shaft in Mitsero, those of Livia and her daughter in suitcases in Kokkini Limni in Mitsero and that of Ashmita in a dry well at Orounta firing range.
Divers, helped by sonar equipment and robotic cameras have been combing Kokkini Limni, a toxic lake at Mitsero and Memi Lake in Xyliatou for weeks as they search for bodies of Maricar and Sierra.
The search is to be boosted with Israeli divers after police asked Israel for help, Phileleftheros reports.
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https://in-cyprus.com/mitsero-murders-search-continues-for-serial-killers-victims/
