A 58-year-old man charged with stabbing his daughter’s former boyfriend to death will remain in custody until his trial begins at Paphos Criminal Court on 29 January 2026.
Paphos District Court ordered the detention on Wednesday after reviewing evidence that included a phone witness who heard the suspect threaten “if you mess with E… again I will kill you” moments before 26-year-old Alexandros Antoniou was killed on the evening of 19 November.
The court cited premeditated murder as one of the most serious criminal offences and ruled the suspect posed a flight risk if released.
According to police evidence, tensions had been building between the two men over the suspect’s daughter, who had previously dated Antoniou. She told police the 26-year-old sent her a threatening message, and she notified her father. The pair had also filed a complaint about damage to her car tyres, blaming the victim. The 58-year-old then returned to Konia, where his daughter lives.
CCTV footage from the kiosk where the attack occurred captured the suspect walking towards Antoniou’s vehicle with his hand in his front pocket. He opened the car door and stabbed the 26-year-old with a knife, striking his carotid artery.
A witness speaking on the phone with Antoniou at 18:18 heard the verbal confrontation unfold in real time. After the threat, the witness heard the victim ask “what do you want? what did I do?” The 58-year-old replied “did you hear what I said? Leave her alone.”
The witness then heard Antoniou scream before the line went dead. Repeated attempts to call back received no answer.
Prosecutor Soteroula Papalazarou told the court that DNA found on the back of the driver’s seat matched the suspect, according to tests by the Institute of Genetics. A forensic examination confirmed death resulted from a sharp instrument severing the carotid artery.
The court instructed police to provide any necessary medical treatment to the suspect whilst in custody.
Defence argued his client’s first action was not to strike a vital area, though he did not object to the detention.
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