A 28-year-old farmer by name Giannis Paraskasis has been sentenced to life for brutally murdering a world class American molecular biologist in Crete. Paraskasis was charged with manslaughter, rape and illegal weapons possession. A Greek priest's son, he claimed that he was possessed by demons when he rammed Suzanne Eaton, 59, with his car.
Paraskasis had told the police officer while in custody that he was "possessed by demons giving him orders" and later retracted his confession and admitted the murder and said he was sexually aroused.
Chania town's court sentenced Paraskakis to life imprisonment for manslaughter, 13 years for rape and four months for the possession of firearms.
Suzanne's body was found by cavers in the tunnels used in World War Two near the city of Chania. The body was found nearly a week after she was last seen by friends in July 2019. She had gone for a run near the Max Planck Institute in Dresden University. The mother of two was on the campus for a science conference.
After she went missing on July 2, 20019, her colleagues raised alarm triggering a massive search. It was believed that she died on the day of her disappearance.
The investigating officials told the court that the "Satanist" farmer had hit the scientist with his car twice and then bundled her body into the boot. He drove the injured woman to a bunker near his olive grove where he raped her and left her body in an air shaft.
Referred as "world-class biologist" by lawyer Vasso Pantazi, the scientist had suffered serious fractures, broken ribs, and multiple injuries on both hands. She had attempted to fight her attacker as his DNA was found in her fingernails.
Eaton is survived by her husband, who is a British scientist Anthony Hyman, and two sons. The Max Planck Institute had said in a statement that it was "deeply shocked and disturbed by this tragic event".
Paraskakis had admitted that stifling the victim after she was hit by the vehicle and putting her in the back of his vehicle gave him a sexual thrill. Married and father of two, the convict had confessed to the crime after six-hour long questioning by the Greek police.
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