Limassol Criminal Court imposes consecutive life sentences for 2024 double murder

On June 9, 2025, the Limassol Criminal Court sentenced a 25-year-old man to two consecutive life terms for the premeditated murders of 39-year-old Andreas Kouzoupis and 38-year-old Slovak national David Chmelar. The victims were found shot in the head with a hunting shotgun and subsequently burned inside a vehicle in the Listrovounos area near Arakapas on July 30, 2024. Although the defendant was not the person who fired the weapon, the court determined that his actions, including the disposal of the vehicle, justified the maximum penalty. In an uncommon judicial move, the court opted for consecutive rather than concurrent sentences to reflect the severity of the act and influence potential future parole requests. The court drew comparisons to the Christakis Thomas case, which also involved consecutive life sentences. The 25-year-old is expected to testify as a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of his 21-year-old co-accused, who has pleaded not guilty. The defense had argued against the consecutive nature of the sentences during the proceedings.