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

[indicolite22]

She must have then gone somewhere far from the conference building to eat lunch (on her own - where?) so let's say she has lunch at 3.30 - 4 pm. She then may have wandered around and met her killer, during her walk back towards the conference building.

She left her wallet and cash in her room though, so how was she going to pay for lunch? Unless someone else was paying? Even then, I'd expect her to take her phone and wallet with her at the minimum.

 

[CLGM]

Automatic translation (BBM):

Secure information from Cretalive reports that traces of wheels were found on the route leading to the hatch. Indeed, because broken branches were found at a low height, it is believed that the car used to carry it is a passenger car.

And the transfer, the police believe, was done in the evenings. This means that until then the victim was at another point, safe for the perpetrator. It is certain that the killer knows the area as the palm of his hand.

It is indicative that police officers used drone to locate the hatchery (once they were informed of its existence) and failed to locate it. Authorities estimate that the American death occurred within two to three hours of leaving the Academy premises.

Δολοφονία βιολόγου στην Κρήτη: Το κίνητρο, οι προσαγωγές και η… θεία δίκη

Lots of good information in this article. ^^^

 

[indicolite22]

Minor stab wounds were also found on her body, but police said they were not believed to be the cause of her death.

Suzanne Eaton: Body of American scientist found inside a former Nazi bunker - CNN

Would that be defense wounds?

 

[Curiousobserver]

I don't think this bunker was popular. It wasn't seen from the road and there doesn't seem to be any signs. One had to climb a mound to even see the entrance. I think the mayor may have been referring to the fact that tourists pass the bunker on the road 100m away. The bunker was not secluded enough to prevent the passers-by (locals or tourists) from noticing the smell. She was going to be found. I wonder if the perp(s) knew that.

Good point. This hiding place was only going to work for a short time. I wonder if the perp knew that and only needed a head-start, for example to get off the island (boat or plane) and far away.

 

[Gardener1850]

There is another thing that bugs me. The body was found at about 11.30 at NIGHT by two "amateur cave-explorers" who were passing by. It's hasn't been revealed if they were Greek or foreign and if they were male or female. They noticed the smell, went in, found the body and called the police in shock.

1) Why didn't they go there earlier in the day? Maybe not in the heat of the afternoon, but 11.30 at night seems like a really late hour to be exploring the kind of landscape seen in the video, unless they were having an affair or something, and were looking for a secluded spot for other purposes. Perhaps they went there intentionally at a time when they knew no-one would be around, to check how the decomposition was progressing, and they noticed the smell was getting too much and it was only a matter of time before the body would be found? So they decided to call the police?

2) There was a 50,000 Euro (56,000$) reward offered by the family for any information that would lead to the lady, dead or alive. The offender may have felt tempted by this generous offer. Maybe the "amateur cave-explorers" had the audacity to not only commit the crime but also come back for the reward? Of course, this is just hypothesising on my part. It hasn't been revealed whether they've received the reward yet or if they will receive it.

***The link Δολοφονία βιολόγου στην Κρήτη: Το κίνητρο, οι προσαγωγές και η… θεία δίκη posted above says that the two people have provided strong justifications to the police for what they were doing there so late at night.

Maybe the people who found the body were looking for ghosts? I think 11:30 at night would be a time when someone who believes the bunker is haunted would go to make a spooky video about it. But whatever their reasons for being there, surely the police will check their story very carefully.

On another note, I have followed many cases here and I don't think I have ever seen a missing person case where the reward actually motivated anyone to find the missing person. A reward usually only brings attention to the case and many false tips to police. People start to call in with random "guesses" hoping they will be right and get the reward. I will be surprised if the cave explorers in this case actually knew that there was a missing American and a large reward for finding her. That said, if they have no involvement, then they deserve the reward. Even though they seemingly stumbled upon her body by accident they did the right thing by calling the police.

MOO.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Good point. This hiding place was only going to work for a short time. I wonder if the perp knew that and only needed a head-start, for example to get off the island (boat or plane) and far away.

JMO, The above CNN article had the police chief saying that he believes she would have been moved to the bunker at night, and then the above Greek article said there were auto tracks in the dirt and broken branches lower to the ground so they know it was a smaller call. To me that says they came during the night and unloaded the body, left in a car, and felt that was all the time they needed. I think the perp either just thought that was good enough hiding place, they didn't think that it wouldn't be a good hiding place, or they just didn't care because they'd figure doing this in the cover of night they would run the least risk of being seen. At that point, perp doesn't care if someone comes and finds the body in a day or a few days/week because in their mind they are gonna be gone far enough (which is honestly just not being caught personally at the scene with the body). Most criminals aren't our world's deepest intellectual minds.

 

[Gardener1850]

Minor stab wounds were also found on her body, but police said they were not believed to be the cause of her death.

Suzanne Eaton: Body of American scientist found inside a former Nazi bunker - CNN

Would that be defense wounds?

Either defense wounds or she was tortured.

Her ear being missing and stab wounds makes me wonder if someone was trying to get information out of her. It's like something out of a movie. But I can't imagine what top secret information she could have that would be worth killing her over.

MOO

 

[glassheater]

American Scientist Suzanne Eaton Suffocated to Death, Greek Coroners Say | GreekReporter.com

So stumped on motive but I don’t think they wanted the body found. This was a very remote and difficult location to access.

“Access to the cave is especially difficult, so the person who dragged the body there must be someone who knows the area well. Specifically, there is a trench about two meters high and when one steps on it, there is a tree hiding the entrance. One has to part the thick branches in order to get inside.”

BBM

that is a lot of work to carry a dead body in this cave. I think there must of been a second person.

 

[owsley]

Reporting on this case has proved rather garbled, to date. Much still unclear.

 

[indicolite22]

that is a lot of work to carry a dead body in this cave. I think there must of been a second person.

According to one of the theories reported in the press, she might have been dropped into the cave through a hole in the roof of the cave, which is located close to where she was found. The hole is normally covered with a wooden pallet and is referred to in some of the translated articles as "the hatch".

 

[Elainera]

American Scientist Suzanne Eaton Suffocated to Death, Greek Coroners Say | GreekReporter.com

So stumped on motive but I don’t think they wanted the body found. This was a very remote and difficult location to access.

“Access to the cave is especially difficult, so the person who dragged the body there must be someone who knows the area well. Specifically, there is a trench about two meters high and when one steps on it, there is a tree hiding the entrance. One has to part the thick branches in order to get inside.”

BBM

that is a lot of work to carry a dead body in this cave. I think there must of been a second person.

But this is about the entrance to the cave, not the location where the hole is through which she was dropped, if I understand it correctly.

 

[glassheater]

Lots of good information in this article. ^^^

According to one of the theories reported in the press, she might have been dropped into the cave through a hole in the roof of the cave, which is located close to where she was found. The hole is normally covered with a wooden pallet and is referred to in some of the translated articles as "the hatch".

Would the body of landed so conveniently face down if dropped? ETA: if transferred at night, rigor mortis had set in. Don’t know if the body would of landed in that position

 

[CityDancer]

Τhis video, shown in a major news bulletin an hour ago, shows the site and the hole. He says there used to be a wooden pallet there, which the killers lifted in order to throw the body down into the cave. Not specified if it's the same pallet that was placed outside the main entrance to the cave. The metal grid was placed by the police after the discovery of the body.
Δολοφονία βιολόγου στην Κρήτη: Το κίνητρο, οι προσαγωγές και η… θεία δίκη

 

[Elainera]

Minor stab wounds were also found on her body, but police said they were not believed to be the cause of her death.

Suzanne Eaton: Body of American scientist found inside a former Nazi bunker - CNN

Would that be defense wounds?

Possibly. What I find odd is that it was said she was suffocated from behind probably with hands over her nose and mouth. So first stabbed, but she fought too much and then ran and the perp caught up with her and grabbed her from behind?

 

[Curiousobserver]

JMO, The above CNN article had the police chief saying that he believes she would have been moved to the bunker at night, and then the above Greek article said there were auto tracks in the dirt and broken branches lower to the ground so they know it was a smaller call. To me that says they came during the night and unloaded the body, left in a car, and felt that was all the time they needed. I think the perp either just thought that was good enough hiding place, they didn't think that it wouldn't be a good hiding place, or they just didn't care because they'd figure doing this in the cover of night they would run the least risk of being seen. At that point, perp doesn't care if someone comes and finds the body in a day or a few days/week because in their mind they are gonna be gone far enough (which is honestly just not being caught personally at the scene with the body). Most criminals aren't our world's deepest intellectual minds.

Also- its seems like the "cave" goes much further back than her body was found, if the perp had wanted to do a better job of hiding the body they could have hidden it much better (way in the back under a pile of rocks and debris etc...). Perhaps the theory that she was dropped through a hole in the roof of the cavern is correct because it seems like the body could have remained hidden for a much longer period of time if they had spent just a few extra minutes and was carrying her inside. I know they were likely in a hurry to get out of there but they also must have been confident enough to drive their car up there at night and stumble around in the dark.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Τhis video, shown in a major news bulletin an hour ago, shows the site and the hole. He says there used to be a wooden pallet there, which the killers lifted in order to throw the body down into the cave. Not specified if it's the same pallet that was placed outside the main entrance to the cave. The metal grid was placed by the police after the discovery of the body.
Δολοφονία βιολόγου στην Κρήτη: Το κίνητρο, οι προσαγωγές και η… θεία δίκη

Also says several suspects have been questioned and DNA taken from them

 

[LietKynes]

Glad she was found for her loved one's sake.
Still trying to understand motive. The ear removal seems like a message was sent to someone.
If this was about her occupation... why ?
What would someone have against an educated molecular scientist ?
A person who's work can help make the world a better place.
Thinking out loud here.
This seems so brutal and unnecessary.

 

[indicolite22]

Possibly. What I find odd is that it was said she was suffocated from behind probably with hands over her nose and mouth. So first stabbed, but she fought too much and then ran and the perp caught up with her and grabbed her from behind?

Maybe the stab wounds were superficial and she wasn't deliberately stabbed, but rather threatened with a knife. We also don't know where the attack took place: out in the open, in a car or in a building. We don't know if at any point she complied with the attacker.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Also- its seems like the "cave" goes much further back than her body was found, if the perp had wanted to do a better job of hiding the body they could have hidden it much better (way in the back under a pile of rocks and debris etc...). Perhaps the theory that she was dropped through a hole in the roof of the cavern is correct because it seems like the body could have remained hidden for a much longer period of time if they had spent just a few extra minutes and was carrying her inside. I know they were likely in a hurry to get out of there but they also must have been confident enough to drive their car up there at night and stumble around in the dark.

Right? I definitely think it may be a combination of both parts of what you're saying. They were in a hurry, but they were confident enough to drive up there, drop her through the top and leave. It had to be hasty because like you said, if not, why not take her deeper into the cave? Also, is the ground in this bunker/cave dirt? If so, obviously even a shallow grave would have helped mask the odor of decomposition (especially with the hot temperatures) better than just leaving her in there. I just don't think they cared. They probably dropped the body at night, and knowing that it's secluded at night, they were just content to be rid of the body and didn't really care when or if it was found. Just trying to separate themselves from SE's remains for immediate self-preservation but not worried enough to take further/more intricate steps, MOO.

 

[otto]

Sunset at Crete on July 2 was 8:39PM. I'm guessing that reports about her being put there at night probably mean "after dark."