What happened
Twenty-three-year-old Kostis Polyzos disappeared from his family home in 2011 and was found dead months later on property connected to his stepfather.
The investigation
Investigators examined family financial issues, contradictory accounts and evidence about the handling of Polyzos’s debts and property.
What the courts or investigators concluded
His mother and stepfather were convicted of his murder after a trial built largely from circumstantial and financial evidence.
Why the case remains significant
The case became prominent in Greece because relatives who publicly appealed for a missing man’s return were later accused and convicted of causing his disappearance.
Case context
Crime by Region organizes cases geographically so readers can move from one file to other investigations from the same country. For unresolved or contested cases, the wording above reflects the distinction between confirmed events, investigative theories and findings actually established in court.