47 years after a double murder of two friends in Melbourne, Australia, a suspect has now been arrested at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.
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The 65-year-old, who has Australian and Greek citizenship, is one of many people of interest in the case, the Australian news agency AAP quoted the police chief of the Australian state of Victoria, Shane Patton, as saying.
The investigators had been “looking for him for several years” but had to wait until he left Greece due to existing laws.
This is the oldest unsolved murder case in Victoria and the first arrest ever, Patton said.
The two women, aged 27 and 28, were discovered dead with multiple stab wounds in their home in a suburb of Melbourne in January 1977. The 16-month-old son of one of the women was found unharmed in his crib.
Patton described the murders as “absolutely cruel” and “horrific.” No possible motive for the crime was mentioned.
The arrest is an important breakthrough, but the investigation is ongoing. Advances in technology, investigative methods and tracing statements have led to the suspect.
“This was a crime that struck at the core of our community – two women in their own home where they should have felt safest,” Patton said.
According to Patton, the Australian police had issued a so-called “Red Notice” to Interpol seeking the man for two murders and one rape.
The arrest took place at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci – Fiumicino international airport. It was initially unknown why the man was in Rome. He will remain in custody there while Australia begins legal proceedings to have him extradited.
