Found Deceased Greece - Dr. Suzanne Eaton, 60, American, gone for a run, Crete, 2 Jul 2019 *ARREST*

[otto]

For reference, the weather at 3:00 pm on July 2nd was:

• temp - 27 degrees (about 81 degrees F)
• feels like - 28 degrees
• sun with some cloud

Source: Crete Historical Weather

As a resident of southern Ontario Canada....that is a temperature that many people would run in, and think nothing of it. And, we often have higher humidity.
So I don't think it's shocking that she would go for a run/walk that day and I don't think it would be enough to cause heat/sunstroke, considering she ran the day before, with no terrible consequences. (It was a couple of degrees cooler the day before though.)

Of course it is possible that she pushed herself too much on the hills, and the sun could have been very intense. So I'm not ruling it out.

It quite possible that she was at an isolated stretch of the road, someone pulled over and grabbed her. That's what happened with Mollie Tibbetts. She was jogging and alone, grabbed, thrown in the trunk of the vehicle.

 

[Snoopster]

It quite possible that she was an isolated stretch of the road, someone pulled over and grabbed her.

That's what I'm leaning toward. An opportunist crime.
It doesn't seem that someone followed her on the way out...or else they would have grabbed her before she got to Afrata. So I believe it was an opportunist who saw her on the road.
This is basically what @Gardener1850 said on the previous page, and I agree.

 

[indicolite22]

I've been on the fence - & with the lack of verifiable facts: still am.

If this is personal - the perp(s) don't stand a chance - this day & age of internet, cell phones, emails & surveillance....on the other hand: if random deranged individual I fear they will not be caught.

If she fought back and managed to get the perp's DNA under her fingernails, then they will be caught, unless their DNA won't be taken (e.g. they are a stranger to the area and already left).

 

[Snoopster]

If she fought back and managed to get the perp's DNA under her fingernails, then they will be caught, unless their DNA won't be taken (e.g. they are a stranger to the area and already left).

But can they take everyone's DNA who is local? They would need some idea of who did it, I presume. Not a slam dunk that a local will be caught. Of course they likely have asked a number of people to submit DNA, but not everyone would agree.

You raise definitely raise a good point though that it will be much more complicated if the murderer is foreign and has left the island.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

I found it. The bridge shown on this video,

, right next to the dirt road leading to the bunker, is this one: Google Maps

I'm only explaining that there are two entrances to the cave, a ventilation hole as well as a main entrance. The photos from the Battlefiend Archaeology site are showing the main entrance.

A small point-

From the Google map you can see that the access road leading to the bunker is gated off.



The killer not only is very familiar with the bunker, but he seems experienced with the gate and taking a vehicle through to that part of the traffic-restricted area.

 

[indicolite22]

Update says LE believes she was abducted returning from her run. 2 residents of the village of Afrata claim they saw here and one was able to describe the outfit she was wearing

Afrata is in the opposite direction from where her body was found

Greek police are close to a breakthrough in the case of murdered American biologist | Daily Mail Online

More info from the above article:

The hotel receptionist confirmed that Suzanne went past the reception on her way out that afternoon. IMO that excludes her being abducted from her room.

She left the room unlocked. IMO that points to a high degree of trust. The receptionist (?) also points out that she wouldn't get into a stranger's car. How would they know that?

The hotel staff did not know the level of Suzanne's accomplishment. This seems normal to me.

Local villagers believe that only someone from the area would have known about the caves.

The authorities narrowed down the time frame to two hours for which phone pings coming from the bunker area will be examined. I've seen this part mentioned before. They haven't specified the hours, but presumably it would be after dark.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

But can they take everyone's DNA who is local? They would need some idea of who did it, I presume. Not a slam dunk that a local will be caught. Of course they likely have asked a number of people to submit DNA, but not everyone would agree.

You raise definitely raise a good point though that it will be much more complicated if the murderer is foreign and has left the island.

I’m not sure about Greece, but in Canada police have canvassed areas around crime scenes requesting DNA samples from residents.

They did in the neighbourhood of Holly Jones following her murder. Two men declined: one was her murderer.

It was about 10 days after Holly vanished after walking a little friend home that officers combed the area near the Jones's house, seeking saliva samples from all men over the age of 16.

The canvas tactic was controversial, with one critic, Alan Borovoy of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, questioning its voluntariness and describing it as "an enormous intrusion" into personal privacy.

But Mr. Briere, The Globe has confirmed, was one of only two men who refused to volunteer samples.

Briere set to plead guilty to murder of Holly Jones

 

[indicolite22]

But can they take everyone's DNA who is local? They would need some idea of who did it, I presume. Not a slam dunk that a local will be caught. Of course they likely have asked a number of people to submit DNA, but not everyone would agree.

You raise definitely raise a good point though that it will be much more complicated if the murderer is foreign and has left the island.

Someone refusing to have their DNA taken could raise suspicion. There have been cases whereDNA was collected without the person's knowledge. Not sure how that works in Greece.
My guess is that the number of local individuals with potential ties to that cave is limited/manageable.

 

[glassheater]

That was what I had wondered about.
Questions:
- is watering done by automated irrigation systems?
- are the olive farms/groves in Crete owned by a lot of small entrepreneurs or are they owned by large multi-grove owners?
- if there isn't a need for many basic AG workers during this time of year, who tends to be on the properties? Farm managers? Farm owners and/or extended families who live on/near the various properties?
- suppliers to the owners/managers?

My family is in olive farming and their trees are watered by an irrigation system. They don’t check up much on them in the summer. In our village the olive trees are owned by the local families. Each family has their own number of olive trees. Family lives near the olive trees. Sometimes migrants are hired for extra help picking olives during the winter. It’s a lot of hard work.

 

[curiousjo]

Maybe the abductor purposely hit her with his car, then offered her a ride to medical center... but took her elsewhere.

 

[indicolite22]

Would a cave enthusiast from another nearby town/village have known about this bunker?

 

[Handsome Sailor]

Hiking in hills in the heat - with no H2O or cell. Not a recipe for a "good time." I think she was offered a ride and accepted (pressures of giving keynote speech in a couple hours). The "Good Samaritan"? Cultivated beard. Proud cigar. Menacing geniality. The eyes of an unsuccessful rapist. Sometimes it is better to be alone than in bad company.

 

[indicolite22]

It quite possible that she was at an isolated stretch of the road, someone pulled over and grabbed her. That's what happened with Mollie Tibbetts. She was jogging and alone, grabbed, thrown in the trunk of the vehicle.

If that happened, somehow she wasn't able to use her taekwondo skills. She wouldn't expect to be attacked, so the element of surprise could play a part. Or there was more than one perp (I'm still leaning towards one).

 

[glassheater]

I’m surprised she went 3 miles out one way in that type of heat and on top of that, very hilly terrain without any water, money or her cell. It would be easier to imagine if the terrain was flat and more populated. And it definitely would take her more than 30 minutes round trip unless she was running a 5 minute mile. I wonder what drew her to Afrata.

 

[Snoopster]

Hiking in hills in the heat - with no H2O or cell. Not a recipe for a "good time." I think she was offered a ride and accepted (pressures of giving keynote speech in a couple hours). The "Good Samaritan"? Cultivated beard. Proud cigar. Menacing geniality. The eyes of an unsuccessful rapist. Sometimes it is better to be alone than in bad company.

One small point...her talk wasn't for another couple of days. There was another session at the conference that evening, but if she didn't attend, or if she was late, it wouldn't be serious.

 

[glassheater]

One small point...her talk wasn't for another couple of days. There was another session at the conference that evening, but if she didn't attend, or if she was late, it wouldn't be serious.

I read she planned to attend the 6pm session. If not, then why not run later in the day when sun isn’t so strong and it’s cooled down a bit. Like around 5-6pm.

 

[Snoopster]

More info from the above article:

The hotel receptionist confirmed that Suzanne went past the reception on her way out that afternoon. IMO that excludes her being abducted from her room.

She left the room unlocked. IMO that points to a high degree of trust. The receptionist (?) also points out that she wouldn't get into a stranger's car. How would they know that?

The hotel staff did not know the level of Suzanne's accomplishment. This seems normal to me.

Local villagers believe that only someone from the area would have known about the caves.

The authorities narrowed down the time frame to two hours for which phone pings coming from the bunker area will be examined. I've seen this part mentioned before. They haven't specified the hours, but presumably it would be after dark.

I'm still trying to figure out how they determined her body was dropped off at night. I understand how they figured out when she was killed (food digestion), but not sure how they've identified a short window of time when her body was dropped off.

What am I missing?

 

[glassheater]

Afrata Crete

Afrata, Rodopos Peninsula in Crete, Greece, pictures and information, beaches, nature, travel, hotels, apartments, car rental

Both sites say the village is popular with walkers ( and cyclists) because it’s a relatively unpopulated area of Crete and picturesque. I’m guessing this is what drew SE!

 

[Snoopster]

I read she planned to attend the 6pm session. If not, then why not run later in the day when sun isn’t so strong and it’s cooled down a bit. Like around 5-6pm.

That was my understanding as well. My point was only that she didn't have to give a key speech herself, so there would be less panic about getting back on time to compose herself and shower, etc.

If she headed out at 3:30-ish and planned to get back by 5:15 or 5:30, then that would give her some flexibility. But your point still stands. That was likely a bit far on a hot day and she had no water.

 

[glassheater]

I'm still trying to figure out how they determined her body was dropped off at night. I understand how they figured out when she was killed (food digestion), but not sure how they've identified a short window of time when her body was dropped off.

What am I missing?

I wonder if they noticed an uptick in cell activity at night.

 

[glassheater]

That was my understanding as well. My point was only that she didn't have to give a key speech herself, so there would be less panic about getting back on time to compose herself and shower, etc.

If she headed out at 3:30-ish and planned to get back by 5:15 or 5:30, then that would give her some flexibility. But your point still stands. That was likely a bit far on a hot day and she had no water.

Ah, gotcha. Very good point