NICOSIA, Cyprus: Divers have dragged a suitcase containing decomposing human remains from a toxic lake, a Cyprus police spokesman said Tuesday, the third such discovery in the east Mediterranean island nation’s serial killer case.
Andreas Angelides said the discovery is a “major development” in the unfolding investigation of a Cypriot army captain who has confessed to the killing of seven foreign women and girls.
Angelides said coroners examined the latest discovery at the scene while more specialized tests will be carried out to determine the person’s identity.
“We proceeded with our search keeping two key factors in mind, the degree of difficulty and the level of danger involved,” said Angelides.
This is the third suitcase containing a body retrieved from the lake following a six-week search.
The 35 year-old suspect had told investigators that he disposed of the bodies of a Filipino woman and a Romanian mother and daughter in the lake after placing their bodies in suitcases.
The body in the latest find is believed to belong to Maricar Valtez Arquiola, 31, from the Philippines.
The case came to light on April 14 when the bound body of 38-year-old Mary Rose Tiburcio, also from the Philippines, was discovered by chance down a flooded shaft near the toxic lake that was part of what is now a disused copper mine .
The ensuing homicide investigation led to the captain’s arrest following an assessment of his online communication with the victim. A second woman’s body — thought to be that of 28-year-old Arian Palanas Lozano, also from the Philippines — was found in the mineshaft a few days later.
Investigators said the suspect, who hasn’t been named yet, confessed to the killings in a 10-page, handwritten note. He led them to where he disposed of the bodies, including a dry well in a military firing range where the remains of who is thought to be Ashita Khadka Bista, from Nepal, were found.
The case put the spotlight on police failings in investigating missing persons’ cases and led to the resignation of the justice minister and the firing of the police chief.
Officials said some later killings may have been prevented had “negligent” officers properly investigated the first missing person’s reports.
Police continue to search for the body of Tiburcio’s six year-old daughter in another lake where the suspect said he disposed of it.
Cyprus police find third suitcase with body inside in lake
Cyprus police find third suitcase with body inside in lake
- Police say Cypriot army captain has confessed to the killing of seven foreign women and girls
- The body in the latest find is believed to belong to Maricar Valtez Arquiola from the Philippines
France’s Macron accepts resignation of Louvre museum chief after jewel theft
- Des Cars has faced intense criticism since burglars made off in October with jewels worth an estimated $102m
- Strikes over pay and conditions since December have also led to regular closures
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation on Tuesday of the head of Paris’ Louvre museum, which has been grappling with the fallout from a high-profile jewel heist and rolling strikes.
Laurence des Cars tendered her resignation, which Macron accepted, “praising an act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs calm and a strong new impetus to successfully carry out major projects involving security and modernization,” his office said.
Des Cars has faced intense criticism since burglars made off in October with jewels worth an estimated $102 million that are still missing, exposing glaring security gaps at the world’s most-visited museum.
Strikes over pay and conditions since December have also led to regular closures and added to a list of woes that included two water leaks as well as a massive ticket fraud investigation.
Critics including the state auditors’ office have questioned the museum’s low spending on security and infrastructure maintenance while it made lavish purchases of new artwork, only a quarter of which is open to the public, and spent heavily on post-pandemic relaunch projects.
