[InTime News]
Authorities have arrested a 54-year-old man after the bodies of his mother and sister were found in an advanced state of decomposition inside a sealed room in his apartment, officials said Tuesday.
The arrest in the Athens neighborhood of Zografou was carried out following a prosecutor’s order, after the two women were discovered in a room whose door had been sealed with plaster. The bodies were found after a relative alerted authorities.
The man denied any involvement in their deaths, telling investigators the women died of natural causes and that he moved their bodies into the room to conceal the deaths. He said he feared losing the home if their deaths became known.
According to his account, his sister died first from cancer, followed by his mother two days later. He said the deaths occurred about three months ago – a timeline broadly consistent with an initial forensic assessment.
Authorities said autopsies scheduled for Tuesday are expected to determine the exact causes of death.
The investigation is ongoing.