Kyriakos Papaxronis

Case record

Kyriakos Papaxronis (Κυριάκος Παπαχρόνης) was a serial rapist and murderer, known in Greece as "The Ogre of Drama" ("O Δράκος της Δράμας").

He was 19 years old while serving his military service in the city of Drama (northern Greece) as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, and he wore his military uniform during his crimes.

Papaxronis stated that his negative feelings towards women and the need for revenge that fueled his crimes were caused by his first sexual encounter with a woman—a prostitute—when he was 14. He stated that the woman addressed him in an ironic way and questioned his masculinity.

Timeline

• 1981 (date not specified) — Papaxronis’s first victim was a prostitute; Papaxronis stated that she "made him finish quickly" and "told him he wasn't a normal man and that he was impotent".
• 5 September 1981 — Papaxronis raped and murdered a prostitute named Gr. Theocharidou (Γρ. Θεοχαρίδου) in the city of Drama (northern part of Greece, formerly known as Macedonia).
• 20 December 1981 — Papaxronis attempted murder of M. Postiadou (Μ. Ποστιάδου) in the city of Drama.
• 13 March 1982 — Papaxronis was apprehended on the 13th of March 1982.
• 15 January 1982 — Papaxronis murdered a student named E. Papadopoulou (Ε. Παπαδοπούλου) in Drama.
• 12 March 1982 — Papaxronis was tried and convicted for bombing the Post Office and a bank in Ksanthi.
• 13 March 1982 — Papaxronis was tried and convicted for bombing a bank and a store in Kavala.
• 16 June 1982 — Papaxronis was tried and convicted for bombing the entrance of Drama's military camp.
• 15 August 1982 — Papaxronis raped and murdered a 20-year-old student named Anastasia Alexandridou (Αναστασία Αλεξανδρίδου) in the city of Thessaloniki.
• 22 years later (2004) — In 2004, Papaxronis was released under restraining orders.
• December 2004 — Papaxronis was released in December 2004 under restraining orders.

The offence

Papaxronis was convicted for rape and murder of 2 women:

1. Gr. Theocharidou (Γρ. Θεοχαρίδου), a prostitute, on 5 September 1981 in the city of Drama (northern part of Greece, formerly known as Macedonia).
2. Anastasia Alexandridou (Αναστασία Αλεξανδρίδου), a 20-year-old student, on 15 August 1982 in the city of Thessaloniki.

Papaxronis was convicted for murdering a student named E. Papadopoulou (Ε. Παπαδοπούλου) on 15 January 1982 in Drama.

Papaxronis was convicted for attempted murder of M. Postiadou (Μ. Ποστιάδου) on 20 December 1981 in the city of Drama.

Papaxronis was convicted for attempted rape and murder of 5 more women:

1. Agoraste Teza (Αγοραστή Τέζα), 18-year-old, in Drama.
2. Vassiliki Lazaridou (Βασιλική Λαζαρίδου), 30-year-old nurse, in Drama.
3. D. Pechlivanidou (Δ. Πεχλιβανίδου), 23-year-old, in Drama.
4. a prostitute, in the city of Ksanthi (northeastern Greece).
5. a woman, in Ksanthi.

Papaxronis was tried and convicted for 5 accounts of bombing:

• the Post Office and a bank in Ksanthi on 12 March 1982,
• a bank and a store in Kavala on 13 March 1982,
• the entrance of Drama's military camp on 16 June 1982.

Papaxronis was also tried and convicted for 1 account of arson:

• International Airport of Kavala.

Investigation and apprehension

Papaxronis was apprehended on 13 March 1982.

Sentencing

Papaxronis’s penalty was initially set to 2 life sentences and 23 years of incarceration, but later it was reduced to life imprisonment.

Outcome

Papaxronis was released under restraining orders in December 2004.

Other details

Papaxronis was convicted for his crimes while serving in the Army and wore his military uniform during his crimes.

Papaxronis told the Press that his first victim, in 1981, was a prostitute who "made him finish quickly" and "told him he wasn't a normal man and that he was impotent".

He was living in rural Greece at the time of the information provided.