Antonis Daglis

Case overview

Antonis Daglis (Greek: Αντώνης Δαγλής, born 1974) was a Greek serial killer.

He was convicted of the murders of three women and the attempted murder of six others in Athens on January 23, 1997. He was referred to as the "Athens Ripper". He was a truck driver and preyed upon Athens prostitutes between 1992 and 1995.

Timeline

• 1988 — Daglis was arrested for seducing a minor.
• 1989 — Daglis was arrested for attacking a group of men at the Zappeion in Athens with a knife.
• 1992 — A dismembered body of another young woman was found in a garbage bucket outside the War Museum; authorities investigated whether Daglis was behind the murder.
• 1993 — Daglis committed murders between 1993 and 1995.
• 1995 — Daglis committed murders between 1993 and 1995.
• October 28 — Daglis picked up Eleni Panagiotopoulou last October 28 from downtown Solonos street near the Kolonaki district in Athens.
• 1996 — Police revealed that a 21-year-old Athens man had confessed to the strangulation of two prostitutes and the attempted murder of another eight; Daglis was identified as the suspect.
• Christmas Day (1995) — Lazarou’s half-naked body was discovered on Christmas Day last year in a deserted area near Kifissos Avenue in western Athens.
• January 26, 1996 — Police revealed yesterday that Daglis had confessed to the strangulation of two prostitutes and the attempted murder of another eight.
• January 23, 1997 — An Athens court found Daglis guilty of murdering three prostitutes, attempting to murder six other women, and robbing all nine; he was sentenced to thirteen terms of life imprisonment plus 25 years.

The offence

Daglis abducted three prostitutes and repeatedly raped them.

During court proceedings, he discussed abducting three prostitutes, repeatedly raping them before cutting them up with a chainsaw in his house. The bodies were then discarded along the highway.

Daglis was found guilty of murdering three prostitutes and attempting to murder a further six women, and he was found guilty of robbing all nine.

The court heard that he used a saw to dismember his victims before disposing of their body parts in rubbish bins.

He was also found guilty of raping an English prostitute working in Greece and of the illegal use of a weapon, described as a piece of rope that he used to strangle his victims.

Specific victims named

Eleni Panagiotopoulou (29)

Daglis was charged with the murder and mutilation of Eleni Panagiotopoulou, 29.

Daglis told police that he picked up Panagiotopoulou last October 28 from downtown Solonos street near the Kolonaki district in Athens.

He said they subsequently drove to a parking lot, where he strangled the prostitute with his hands as they had sex.

Daglis said he later dismembered the body with a hacksaw and collected the body parts into several plastic bags, which he dumped near a camping site on the Athens-Lamia national highway.

The victim’s remains were identified a few days later by relatives.

Athina Lazarou (26)

Daglis was charged with the murder and mutilation of Athina Lazarou, 26.

Daglis said he strangled Lazarou with a rope because she mocked him during their love-making session.

Her half-naked body was discovered on Christmas Day last year in a deserted area near Kifissos Avenue in western Athens.

Ann Hamson

Daglis was initially suspected after he was arrested for the rape and abduction of an English woman named Ann Hamson.

Ann Hamson was abducted after Daglis had mistaken her for a prostitute.

Ann Hamson was able to convince Daglis that she was not a prostitute and she was spared.

Ann Hamson told police of her abduction, and Daglis was quickly arrested for the abduction and suspicion of three other rape/murders and six attempted murders between 1993 and 1996.

Investigation and police statements

Police revealed that a 21-year-old Athens man had confessed to the strangulation of two prostitutes and the attempted murder of another eight.

Daglis confessed to the rape, strangulation and dismemberment of two women and the attempted murder of a further six, and he confessed to having robbed all eight women.

Daglis later admitted to dismembering the bodies of two women, Eleni Panagiotopoulou, 29, and Athina Lazarou, 26, with a hacksaw and disposing of them around Athens.

Daglis subsequently confessed to the previously unsolved murder of a prostitute whose dismembered body was found in a dumpster in 1992.

Authorities identified the other eight women Daglis reportedly attempted to kill.

Authorities were investigating whether Daglis was behind the murder of another young woman whose dismembered body was found in a garbage bucket outside the War Museum in October 1992.

Arrest and related context

Daglis had been a repeat juvenile offender since the age of 14 and had been in and out of the criminal courts since he was 14.

During his trial, Daglis prohibited a court-appointed defence lawyer from making his closing address, saying he did not consider him to be his defence counsel.

Daglis earlier that week surprised the court by admitting to all three murders but today retracted his confession, saying he had killed only one, by accident.

Trial and witness/defence-related statements

During trial, Daglis told the court:

" I hated all prostitutes and continue to hate them. I went to meet them for sex but suddenly other pictures came into my head. I heard voices which ordered me to kill. Once I thought about strangling my fiancée, but I restrained myself."

Daglis also told the court he had retracted his confession, saying he had killed only one, by accident.

Sentencing

On January 23, 1997, an Athens court found Daglis guilty of murdering three prostitutes, attempting to murder a further six and robbing all nine.

He was sentenced to 13 life sentences.

He was sentenced to thirteen terms of life imprisonment, plus 25 years.

Aftermath and status

Daglis was referred to as the "Athens Ripper". He was a Greek serial killer convicted in Athens on January 23, 1997.