Filenews 18 October 2025 - by Ioanna Mantziipa
The puzzle of the mafia execution of the well-known businessman and football agent, Stavros Demosthenous, seems to be difficult and complex. The blow was premeditated, with a professional executor and without any collateral damage. A "contract" execution that clearly testifies to the action of organized crime. While Cyprus is watching this cold-blooded murder in shock, the police authorities simply admit that it was a well-organized attack. However, the concern is intensifying as we are now constantly counting criminal actions even during the morning hours, during peak hours, which highlights the uncontrollable situation that prevails.
The murder of Demosthenous took the authorities by surprise, who immediately went on red alert, while opening investigations at three different crime scenes. According to information obtained by "F", the perpetrators were two, studied and cool, who waited for the victim to leave his house and as soon as they located his vehicle, they gassed it with fire, murdering the 49-year-old in front of his own child.
So far, the authorities do not have a clear picture of the exact motives, but they are thoroughly investigating the victim's professional activities. Police information speaks of "open fronts" that seem to make it difficult to direct the investigations, leaving many questions unanswered for the time being.
Death ambush 500 meters away from his home
Time stopped around 09:30 on Friday morning, when Stavros Demosthenous received a barrage of fire while he was in a luxury rental vehicle, in the passenger seat, about 500 meters from his home, in the area of Sfalagiotissa. The vehicle was driven by his 18-year-old son, when during their course, a white van entered in front of them and stopped their course, forcing the young man to slow down. Then, the doors of the van opened and one of the perpetrators started shooting at Demosthenous, managing to fatally hit him.
After completing their mission, the perpetrators fled, fleeing the scene. A few minutes later, a vehicle with the same description was found on fire in the area of Germasogeia. The examinations revealed that it is the same vehicle used in the execution. As established by the police investigations, the van had been declared stolen on September 4 in the province of Nicosia.
Immediately after the attack, the victim's son, despite the shock he suffered, tried to drive and transport his father to the Hospital. As they were moving on the highway, at the height of Tsirio, their vehicle was involved in a traffic accident, as a result of which it came to a standstill. According to reliable information from "F", the 18-year-old stopped a passing citizen and asked him to take them to the Limassol General Hospital. The citizen responded immediately, but by the time the victim arrived at the hospital, he was already dead. The same sources report that Demosthenous received at least two bullets in the head.
Crisis Center at ADE Limassol
The Police were immediately informed and mobilized on three fronts. At the scene of the accident, the attack and the burning van. Strong forces of the TAE and the OPE Limassol, as well as members of the Criminal Investigation Service, cordoned off the scene of the murder for the collection of evidence. At the same time, a Crisis Center has been set up at the Limassol Police Department, while the investigations are progressing at an intensive pace.
The investigators of the TAE Limassol from the first moment have been looking for material from closed surveillance circuits in the area of Sfalagiotissa and surrounding areas, with the aim of identifying the escape route of the perpetrators. It is reported that the perpetrators escaped on a large-displacement, black scooter-type motorcycle.
All possibilities open – Professional execution
The Police do not rule out any possibility. The first estimates converge on the scenario of a death contract with all the features of settling accounts. The mode of action, the accuracy, the speed and the attempt to disappear the vehicle refer to excellent executors.
In her statements to journalists, the spokesperson of the Police, Kyriaki Lambrianidou, when asked about the helicopter of the authorities that was flying over the burning vehicle, said that it was accidentally in the area for other service needs.
Asked to comment on a question from "F" on whether there is concern about the increasing criminal acts that are now committed even during the morning hours, she replied: "It is a fact that we had other criminal acts during the morning hours and during peak hours. This, of course, worries the Cyprus Police. Rest assured that we all monitor too many things and prevent several criminal acts."
He noted that all possible motives related to the case are being investigated. "This is a very serious criminal act, which seems to have been well organized. There is extensive investigative work. There is not a single crime scene, but at least three that are being investigated. So, we all understand the course of the investigations and where we will end up next."
Who was Stavros Demosthenous?
Stavros Demosthenous was a well-known face of Limassol, but also in the wider business world. He used to be a nightclub owner, but later entered the world of football. He initially took over the reins of Aris Limassol, and later, took over the presidency of the Karmiotissa team. Just a year later, in 2021, he handed over the baton of the presidency to Belarusian Dmitry Pounin, but returned again in November 2023. On May 19, 2025, he announced his candidacy for the KOP elections.
