Cyprus woke up to one of the most brazen killings in recent memory after the mafia-style execution of well-known businessman and former football figure Stavros Demosthenous. The attack, which took place around 09:00 this morning near his home in Sfalaggiotissa, has stunned the island and triggered a full-scale police operation.
According to information obtained by Politis.com.cy, Demosthenous was in his car with his son, near the Oncology Centre, when an unidentified vehicle approached, rammed into his car and immobilised it. Two gunmen stepped out, walked directly to the driver’s side, and shot Demosthenous twice in the head at point-blank range before fleeing the scene.
A desperate escape attempt
Moments after the shooting, Demosthenous’s son tried to drive his injured father to hospital in the same vehicle. In his panic, he crashed on the highway near Tsirion Stadium, causing authorities to close the stretch between the Agia Fylaxeos and Troodos roundabouts. Traffic was diverted from the Troodos roundabout, with police on site coordinating the flow of vehicles.
The son is reportedly cooperating with investigators, providing crucial information on the events leading up to the killing.
Burnt-out car and early leads
A burnt-out vehicle was discovered in Germasogeia a few hours later and is believed to have been used by the assassins as a getaway car. Forensic teams have begun examining the wreckage for DNA, fingerprints, and ballistic traces, while investigators are reviewing CCTV and dashcam footage from nearby roads in search of evidence.
The crime scene around the Oncology Centre remains cordoned off, with police and forensic experts gathering shell casings and other material evidence. Authorities are also maintaining a strong presence outside the victim’s home in Sfalaggiotissa.
Manhunt and investigation
A massive manhunt is under way across Limassol, involving armed units, traffic patrols, and plainclothes officers. Police believe the attack was a targeted assassination, given the precision of the hit and the calculated burning of the getaway car, a method often linked to organised crime operations.
Authorities are urging witnesses to come forward, especially anyone who was driving in the Sfalaggiotissa area between 08:30 and 09:15, or who may have dashcam footage capturing a suspicious vehicle. Residents of Germasogeia are also being asked to report any unusual noise or smoke consistent with a car being set on fire.
The vehicle of Stavros Demosthenous, has been transferred to the Limassol Central Police Directorate for examination.
According to reports, Demosthenous’s car was blocked by a white van, which was later found burnt in the Germasogeia area. Information suggests that the two perpetrators set the van on fire and then fled the scene on a motorcycle.
Photographs from the scene show that the attackers riddled the victim’s car with bullets. Demosthenous was sitting in the passenger seat, while the driver was his son.
After the crash, the young man exited the vehicle, and, according to Politis.com.cy, a passing car stopped to help, taking Demosthenous to the hospital.
The murder of Stavros Demosthenous has sent shockwaves through both the business and sporting communities of Cyprus, where he was a well-known figure.
Police Statement
“Based on the information and evidence currently before us, at around 9:30 a.m. Stavros Demosthenous was shot multiple times while seated in the passenger seat of his vehicle. The victim was in the car with his 18-year-old son, who was driving.
The shooting occurred approximately 500 metres from the victim’s home in the Sfalaggiotissa area, while the vehicle was in motion.
Preliminary findings indicate that the victim was fired upon by an approaching vehicle. According to the information we have so far, the perpetrators’ vehicle was a white van, which fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
The victim’s son continued driving toward the hospital but collided with another car along the highway near Tsirio Stadium, in the direction of Paphos, where his vehicle came to a halt.
Police were alerted to the incident, and members of the Limassol Police Directorate immediately proceeded to the scene of the collision and then to the location where the shooting took place. At the same time, authorities were informed of a vehicle on fire in the Germasogeia area. Following examinations, the burnt vehicle was found to match the description of the one used by the perpetrators. Further checks revealed that the van had been reported stolen on September 4 in the Nicosia district.
A post-mortem examination on the victim’s body is scheduled for tomorrow, to be conducted by state pathologist Dr. Nikola Charalambous.
The investigation is in full progress, and at this stage we cannot expand on any details regarding its development, as our primary goal is to secure testimony that will lead us to the perpetrators of this crime.
Anyone with information that may assist in solving this case is urged to contact the Police or call the Citizens’ Line for this purpose. We are at the initial stage of investigating a very serious criminal act, and we ask for the public’s understanding regarding the information we are able to share at this time. You can be assured that as soon as we reach reliable conclusions, we will inform you accordingly.”