During Greece’s tumultuous 1950s and early 1960s, a shocking crime unfolded in the quiet town of Goumenissa. The entire family conspired to murder their son-in-law, a 31-year-old man who had been involved in a scandalous affair with their underage daughter for over three years. This disturbing incident, detailed in the book “100 Crimes in Greece,” sheds light on the country’s social and economic challenges at that time.
The victim, who had married into the family and fathered a child with their 27-year-old daughter, faced escalating tensions as his mistreatment of her came to light. However, the situation reached a breaking point when it was revealed that he had been engaging in a forbidden relationship with their younger daughter. In a misguided attempt to protect their family’s honor, the father and brother devised a plan to eliminate the offending son-in-law. On a fateful day in July 1960, the family lured the victim to their home under pretenses. Once inside, they launched a brutal attack, with the father attempting to strangle the man and the young daughter striking him repeatedly with an umbrella. The mother, complicit in the crime, drowned out the sounds of the struggle with loud music. Ultimately, the son-in-law met a tragic end at the hands of his in-laws, leaving a scene of horror for the authorities to discover. Investigations revealed a twisted tale of betrayal and misplaced loyalty, with the father justifying his actions as a matter of honor.
The trial, held in February 1961, saw the parents and the married daughter seated in the courtroom, while the 17-year-old was directed to a specialized juvenile court. During the proceedings, the family members altered their initial testimonies, admitting to the murder and asserting that it was a crime of passion. They claimed that their son-in-law had turned violent towards them instead of apologizing, and denied any inappropriate relationship with the younger daughter.
Conversely, the deceased’s family and witnesses refuted the allegations of seduction, stating that the true motive behind the killing was a dispute over a dowry agreement. This disagreement allegedly prompted the father-in-law to murder in order to evade his financial obligations. The court ultimately sentenced the father to life in prison, imposed a 10-year sentence with significant leniency for the mother-in-law, and acquitted the 27-year-old wife after determining she had no involvement in the homicide.
