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

[Patrick Jane]

One of the post-confession articles suggested that the suspect did not expect anyone to look in the bunker, and that the two people who found Suzanne were looking for her at the bunker.

Then again, reporting of facts is fuzzy, so take that with a grain of salt.

Two people who found Suzanne were at the bunker to search for her:

"Eaton’s husband and sons went to Crete to help, a cousin told the Associated Press. Family members created a Facebook page to publicize the search.

The two people who ultimately found Eaton were part of that growing effort, CBS News reported."​

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...ice-say/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.895da57fb48f

I'd need to see some much clearer and better sourcing to ever believe that those amateur cave hunters were part of the victim's official or unofficial SAR.
The major reason why I'm skeptical is because there is ZERO chance the victim (on her own) would have ever wound up in a bunker in Xamoudohori after starting out in Kolymbari. There's literally no plausible scenario in which the victim would walk/hike/run to that location. And I can't see why amateur cave hunters would be looking for her there in a bunker in Xamoudohori unless there was a suspicion she had been murdered and her body discarded there. But, if there was a tip to that effect, that search would have been handled by LE, not by amateur cave hunters.

Further, in this interview with Greek media, they say how completely shocked they were on finding the victim's corpse (my paraphrase and translation only).

Why would they be shocked if the only reason they were there was to look for her?

MOO

 

[glassheater]

One of the post-confession articles suggested that the suspect did not expect anyone to look in the bunker, and that the two people who found Suzanne were looking for her at the bunker.

Then again, reporting of facts is fuzzy, so take that with a grain of salt.

While he has a YouTube video publicizing them. He definitely has not struck me as an intelligent person whatsoever.

 

[glassheater]

I'd need to see some much clearer and better sourcing to ever believe that those amateur cave hunters were part of the victim's official or unofficial SAR.
The major reason why I'm skeptical is because there is ZERO chance the victim (on her own) would have ever wound up in a bunker in Xamoudohori after starting out in Kolymbari. There's literally no plausible scenario in which the victim would walk/hike/run to that location. And I can't see why amateur cave hunters would be looking for her there in a bunker in Xamoudohori unless there was a suspicion she had been murdered and her body discarded there. But, if there was a tip to that effect, that search would have been handled by LE, not by amateur cave hunters.

Further, in this interview with Greek media, they say how completely shocked they were on finding the victim's corpse (my paraphrase and translation only).

Why would they be shocked if the only reason they were there was to look for her?

MOO

My understanding from upthread was that someone on the FB search for Suzanne page suggested checking out the bunkers.

 

[cody22]

Marking my spot....moo

 

[glassheater]

What concerns me is let's suppose the perp is sentenced to 35-40 years and the international community is satisfied, but, 15-25 years later, when the case is mostly forgotten in the media, the perp gets out for "good behavior."
I was talking with a friend today about this possibility, and we both agreed that this getting out early for "good behavior" is a strong possibility.

MOO

Hopefully the court is astute enough to know that this guy is a perpetual threat and doesn’t want more blood on their hands and embarrassment. Somehow, I don’t think this case will be that easily forgotten in 15-20 years.

 

[glassheater]

I do understand your concern Patrick Jane. The attackers of Backari Henderson got off VERY light in my opinion. I’m hoping this is not the case here and that something changes. I have no idea why the courts would ever allow someone this disturbed out in public again and I hope him being a father of two doesn’t influence them in giving him a light sentence. If anything, he’s a danger to his family. He attacks the vulnerable.

6 Men Jailed for Beating American Student to Death in Greece

 

[Patrick Jane]

My understanding from upthread was that someone on the FB search for Suzanne page suggested checking out the bunkers.

I remember reading that. But, I'd have to see it sourced as I'm quite skeptical.

I'm skeptical because
1) those bunkers are so remote and unknown even to locals in the village, that it's hard for me to believe that someone on that FB page would even know they existed
AND
2) it's highly implausible to me that someone would think that someone starting from Kolymbari would wind up in Xamoudohori, and not just in Xamoudohori, but in a remote bunker, which is found off a road that has zero signage as to the bunker's existence.

MOO

 

[glassheater]

I remember reading that. But, I'd have to see it sourced as I'm quite skeptical.

I'm skeptical because
1) those bunkers are so remote and unknown even to locals in the village, that it's hard for me to believe that someone on that FB page would even know they existed
AND
2) it's highly implausible to me that someone would think that someone starting from Kolymbari would wind up in Xamoudohori, and not just in Xamoudohori, but in a remote bunker, which is found off a road that has zero signage as to its existence.

Make sense. For what it’s worth, they linked the site: WW2Wrecks.com – Like World War II Wrecks? You've come to the right place. http://www.ww2wrecks.com A variety of wrecks -ships, aircraft, submarines and vehicles, battlefield archaeology, interviews and first-hand accounts – Enjoy! but I don’t see the specific bunker in Xamoudohori on this site unless I’m not looking correctly. And as you said, how would someone without prior knowledge know how to get there to begin with.

 

[Patrick Jane]

I do understand your concern Patrick Jane. The attackers of Backari Henderson got off VERY light in my opinion. I’m hoping this is not the case here and that something changes. I have no idea why the courts would ever allow someone this disturbed out in public again and I hope him being a father of two doesn’t influence them in giving him a light sentence. If anything, he’s a danger to his family. He attacks the vulnerable.

6 Men Jailed for Beating American Student to Death in Greece

BBM

Looking at it logically, I think most people here would agree that this perp should never be released out in public again; whether that means he's in jail or a mental institution, he should be in there for life.
But, because there is in general a leniency in Greece in regard to punishing violent offenders, and a sense that perps can be rehabilitated, my concern is that he will "get off lightly."
I remember the Henderson case well, and I agree with you that those perps got off lightly. This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

MOO

 

[indicolite22]

Were there other bones in the bunker? Wasn't there video of a skeleton? I wonder if police are following up on DNA analysis of that skeleton. That could easily be another victim of the same suspect.

Nobody else is missing from the area (not counting the domestic cases).

 

[glassheater]

On page 6 of the first thread, there are posts stating that locals were walking in the area and it was the smell that led them to the bunker versus knowledge of the bunker leading searchers to it.

 

[indicolite22]

Further, in this interview with Greek media, they say how completely shocked they were on finding the victim's corpse (my paraphrase and translation only).

Why would they be shocked if the only reason they were there was to look for her?

MOO

I'm leaning towards an accidental find as well. In an article containing the same video it was stated that the two cave hunters first thought that they were seeing a mannequin, but spotting the running shoes made them realize it was an actual person.

Suzanne Eaton: Αποκλειστικά στο OPEN οι δύο σπηλαιολόγοι που την βρήκαν νεκρή

 

[glassheater]

I'm leaning towards an accidental find as well. In an article containing the same video it was stated that the two cave hunters first thought that they were seeing a mannequin, but spotting the running shoes made them realize it was an actual person.

Suzanne Eaton: Αποκλειστικά στο OPEN οι δύο σπηλαιολόγοι που την βρήκαν νεκρή

Thank you for this. They were two friends who’ve been exploring caves for years apparently.

 

[Handsome Sailor]

The Greeks have a different system of jurisprudence, and we must respect it. I'd say the same for American jurisprudence if a Greek were murdered on the streets of New York.

 

[otto]

Respectfully, no we don’t. Change won’t happen if the public accepts light sentences for murder and other heinous crimes.

It is important to understand the different approaches to sentencing. The EU and Commonwealth countries view sentencing as rehabilitation, the USA views it as punitive. That means different sentencing and release guidelines, as well as different treatment while incarcerated.

 

[glassheater]

It is important to understand the different approaches to sentencing. The EU and Commonwealth countries view sentencing as rehabilitation, the USA views it as punitive. That means different sentencing and release guidelines, as well as different treatment while incarcerated.

This guy has all the markings of a serial killer in the making. If the Cyprus serial killer received several life sentences, hopefully this guy does too. Out of curiosity, has there ever been someone like this who has successfully been rehabilitated?

 

[otto]

This guy has all the markings of a serial killer in the making. If the Cyprus serial killer received several life sentences, hopefully this guy does too. Out of curiosity, has there ever been someone like this who has successfully been rehabilitated?

We don't have any information about sentencing structure in Greece at this time. If he is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and murder, perhaps the sentence will be for the three individual charges, but it's equally possible that he is only sentenced for murder where kidnapping and sexual assault are included as part of premeditation.

In my research of the Greek penal system, one murder charge results in 16 - 25 years sentencing. That's the origin of my question about 2/3 sentence for confession, as that would reduce the premeditated murder charge from 25 years to 16 years.

An example of this is the murder of Meredith Kercher in Italy. The convicted murderer, Rudy Guede, confessed and his sentence was reduced from 25 years to 16 years with early day release as part of his rehabilitation.

Regardless of anticipated criminal activity, if the only charge is a single premeditated murder, then that is how he can be sentenced.

 

[CityDancer]

The fact that there is no DP in Crete is enraging.
MOO

The death penalty has been completely abolished in all European countries except for Belarus and Russia, the latter of which has a moratorium and has not conducted an execution since 1999. The absolute ban on the death penalty is enshrined in both the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) and two widely adopted protocols of the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and is thus considered a central value. [...] As of 2019, in Europe, the death penalty for both civilian and military crimes has been abolished in all countries except Belarus.

Source: Wikipedia

 

[Patrick Jane]

A Cretan historian and researcher has written a scathing letter published in a local paper here on this murder case.
This letter gives you more details in regard to the leniency which I was speaking of and trying to convey in some of my previous posts.
I've found an article in English, which contains some summaries and highlights from the letter.

"This is Not Our Crete... Our Society has Failed" | GreekReporter.com

Here are some brief excerpts:

The letter, which was sent to rethemnosnews.gr, has created an uproar in social media with the harsh truths it describes.

It is a letter of indignation over the heinous crime and the impunity with which it and other crimes have been committed on the Greek island.

Dr. Stratidakis cites several examples of delinquency, violence and criminal acts on Crete, events that in most cases are considered “normal” or even just as “traditional Cretan” behavior. Many of those go unpunished, he writes.

“In my own prefecture in Rethymno, the bodies of two immigrant women from Bulgaria are still missing over a year now. A casual search in the newspapers and on the internet shows that the problem with women, especially “unprotected” women, can no longer be hidden,” Stratidakis writes.

The entire letter (in Greek) is re-printed in this article linked below, and begins after the heading: Ολόκληρο το άρθρο του κ. Στρατιδάκη.
(I would have posted the direct link to the original letter in the Rethymos News paper but it doesn't seem that I can post here a website link which contains in the URL Greek language characters).

«Μήπως στην Κρήτη η ζωή παραέγινε φθηνή» - Το συγκλονιστικό άρθρο ενός Κρητικού για την δολοφονία της Σούζαν Ίτον

 

[CityDancer]

Make sense. For what it’s worth, they linked the site: WW2Wrecks.com – Like World War II Wrecks? You've come to the right place. http://www.ww2wrecks.com A variety of wrecks -ships, aircraft, submarines and vehicles, battlefield archaeology, interviews and first-hand accounts – Enjoy! but I don’t see the specific bunker in Xamoudohori on this site unless I’m not looking correctly. And as you said, how would someone without prior knowledge know how to get there to begin with.

The two local guys seen in the video are decribed by the presenter as amateur cave-explorers, so once they'd seen the link posted on the official Searching for Suzanne page on Facebook (I saw the link too) they would know where to look. JMO