A 27-year-old man found shot dead west of Athens was held captive for nearly a week before being executed, autopsy results revealed Monday, transforming a kidnapping probe into a widespread homicide manhunt.
Forensic examiners determined the victim was shot 10 times in the back and head, shortly before his body was discovered in a stream near Nea Peramos. Crucially, undigested food found in his stomach indicates he was fed and kept alive for five to six days following his abduction.
The victim, a businessman with no criminal record, was snatched at gunpoint outside his home in Elefsina last Monday.
His partner witnessed four men forcing him into a vehicle, which police later identified as having been stolen from the northern city of Thessaloniki.
New surveillance footage released Monday captures the victim walking home in a gray tracksuit moments before the attack.
While the abduction itself occurs just off-camera, the timeline confirms he was ambushed seconds later.
Investigators are probing whether the kidnappers sought ransom or information. Police sources fear the perpetrators decided to kill the man to prevent him from identifying them after the extended captivity.
Homicide detectives are currently analyzing phone data and the stolen vehicle for DNA evidence.