News Europe

Greece: Police officer found dead in patrol vehicle

A 34-year-old Greek police officer was found dead in his locked unmarked vehicle in Agios Dimitrios with neck abrasions and arm bruises after his wife reported him missing.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

AUGUST 11, 2026 AT 12:30 AM

According to exclusive information from Newsbomb, the unfortunate man was discovered by colleagues who were conducting foot patrols in the area.

The police officer death showed abrasions on his neck and bruises on his arms. His vehicle, an unmarked car, was found locked.

His wife had been searching for him since the previous day and had filed a missing person report.

Authorities are examining all possibilities. A medical examiner is expected to arrive at the scene.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.