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

[CityDancer]

The elderly man who reported seeing her near the bridge can't have walked there all the way from Afrata. Perhaps he lives in an isolated house near the bridge or maybe he drove there and stopped at what seems to be a popular spot for cars to stop. Maybe he wanted to walk a short distance or admire the view. A bit further down at 3:26 there's a fork in the road, to the left towards Kolymbari and the Academy and to the right back up towards the hills. She must have been abducted somewhere between the abrupt road turn at 2:56 (out of the old man's field of view) and 3:26. My guess would be that the perp likely exited right at the fork (less traffic), possibly towards his house or farm, to wait until nightfall when he could dispose of the body. The perp likely drove past them, unless he was for some reason already parked at the fork (only spot at that stretch of the road with enough space for a car to stop).

 

[Elainera]

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?

Possibly via interviews with residents or tourists who'd been to the cave and the surrounding area before sunset but did not notice a car going down the path to the hatch or anything else unusual ?

 

[Elainera]

DBM

 

[Handsome Sailor]

Thank you CityDancer for all the great insight and video!

 

[CityDancer]

Thank you CityDancer for all the great insight and video!

You're welcome!

 

[Curiousobserver]

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.

Exactly right- Avid runner myself and also near southern Ontario. 81F? no problem for running 3-4 miles even without water. Humidity here is frequently 60% or higher.

 

[tmar]

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.

This intelligent woman doesn't have her talk for a couple of days.
She has attended the Conference in the past, is relaxed, and out on a run.
Then murdered.
How horrific for the family.
Hope the case is solved quickly, with requesting further assistance, if required.
MOO.

 

[zecats]

Google Maps

Bridge seems to be more of an overpass and the church is off a side road, but the distance from town fits. There are several other Monasteries along the way, closer to the conference venue. Still plenty of isolation. And not shade. It was for sure a hot walk/run that time of day. Beautiful scenery and evil on the prowl. Poor Suzanne.

 

[zecats]

The video is titled "Afrata to Kolymbari". Looks like a dangerous and solitary route. The sound of cicadas and the upload date make it likely that it was filmed in peak tourist season yet hardly any people around. Bridge (?) at 2:47. He rides by the Orthodox Academy at the end. A very long and tiring hike to undertake in your afternoon break but maybe she was hoping she would manage it by leaving the easiest part (hiking down to Kolymbari) for the end.

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Great find. With this video, you can see the situation she likely found herself in...sea and drop off to one side and cliff to the other. She would have been trapped and no where to try and get away from a vehicle. Biker was in the shade some, so guessing earlier in the day - morning?

 

[Snoopster]

It's the only church / bridge that stands out for me, although it isn't much of a bridge - still, for someone from Afrata, that might be known as "the bridge" next to the church.

It's 3 miles from Afrata to the academy, and I agree that the Orthodox Church looks to be closer to the 1.5 to 2 mile mark.

Makes sense.

 

[indicolite22]

Possibly via interviews with residents or tourists who'd been to the cave and the surrounding area before sunset but did not notice a car going down the path to the hatch or anything else unusual ?

This cave/bunker wasn't known to tourists. The entrance wasn't visible from the road, so people passing by 100m away wouldn't know it was there. She was found by two locals who went there to explore late at night.

 

[Rosegold68]

why would 2 people go there late at night to explore though? makes no sense

 

[Curiousobserver]

Otto can you please provide the link to where you found this picture? Thank you

Google Maps

 

[mks762]

why would 2 people go there late at night to explore though? makes no sense

I hate typing this but they smelled her and went to investigate the source of the smell.

 

[Gardener1850]

why would 2 people go there late at night to explore though? makes no sense

We have not been told why they were there at night, only that they had a reason for being there. Some people believe the cave is haunted. I speculated earlier in the thread that they might have been ghost hunters. However, after we found it on a map and seeing that the cave is surrounded by olive trees I wonder if perhaps they had an agricultural reason to go there. I don't know much about olive trees, but I know for other types of fruit trees there are some pests that only come out at night. Sometimes you have to check your trees at night to find out what is eating them. Watering of fruit trees is usually best done at night too. Perhaps they were checking the sprinkler lines/irrigation system to make sure they were functioning? Then they could have followed their noses into the cave to explore after they smelled something in the area. Just a few theories.

MOO.

 

[Elainera]

This cave/bunker wasn't known to tourists. The entrance wasn't visible from the road, so people passing by 100m away wouldn't know it was there. She was found by two locals who went there to explore late at night.

Yes I'm aware of how she was found. I mentioned tourists because police said that there are many who rent places in the area around the bunker. I would assume police interviewed everyone staying in the vicinity whether they knew of the cave or not.

 

[otto]

Otto can you please provide the link to where you found this picture? Thank you

That's a google maps screen shot related to the discussion that a witness saw Suzanne near a church and bridge.

Map view and street view:

 

[Patrick Jane]

Hello all,

I am a new member here.
I came across this site whilst searching for more information on this case. You all are having a most thoughtful and informative discussion.
This case is very troubling and sad. My condolences to the victim's family, friends, and colleagues.
I have summered in this area every year for many years, and am in the region now.

 

[otto]

Hello all,

I am a new member here.
I came across this site whilst searching for more information on this case. You all are having a most thoughtful and informative discussion.
This case is very troubling and sad. My condolences to the victim's family, friends, and colleagues.
I have summered in this area every year for many years, and am in the region now.

Welcome! Are you aware of any stretch of the road between the academy and Afrata where there is a church and a bridge? Do you think that the witness could have being referring to one of the roadside memorial boxes when he mentioned a church?

 

[Patrick Jane]

Welcome! Are you aware of any stretch of the road between the academy and Afrata where there is a church and a bridge? Do you think that the witness could have being referring to one of the roadside memorial boxes when he mentioned a church?

I am not familiar with the road to Afrata, but I have been to the village where the Academy is located in Kolymbari. The video which CityDancer posted was among the most isolated stretches of roads I've seen on the island.

As someone mentioned earlier, the roadside memorial boxes are called "little churches" in Greek, so usually when someone mentions a church, they're referring to an actual church.