Dimitris Vakrinos

Background

Dimitris Vakrinos was a former taxi driver. Authorities believed Vakrinos committed the murders because he had an acute inferiority complex and psychological problems since a child, in addition to childhood abuse. Vakrinos reportedly spent many of his childhood years in an orphanage.

The offence

Athens police arrested Vakrinos on charges of committing five murders as well as a number of attempted murders and armed robberies over the past 10 years.

Vakrinos’ first admitted killing involved his room-mate, 53-year-old Panayiotis Gaglias, who was killed on Aug. 6, 1987. Vakrinos admitted killing Gaglias by using an iron bar. The victim had apparently stolen a hunting rifle from Vakrinos. When Vakrinos said he would go to the police, Gaglias threatened to beat him up.

Vakrinos’ second victim was 26-year-old Anastasia Simitzi, whom he killed on Nov. 20, 1993. After leaving a nightclub, the woman asked Vakrinos to take her home. Instead, he asked her to make love with him and when she refused and insulted him, Vakrinos drove her to a remote area near Mantra, Attica. He doused her with petrol and burned her alive, police said.

Vakrinos’ third victim was a colleague, 39-year-old Theodoros Andreadis, who was murdered on Jan. 9, 1994. The two taxi drivers had quarrelled four months before the murder because Andreadis had picked up a customer from a taxi lane. Posing as a customer, Vakrinos asked Andreadis to take him to Loutraki. Along the way, Vakrinos asked the driver to stop and shot him four times. Vakrinos then drove the taxi back to Elefsina where he doused it in petrol, burning both the vehicle and the driver.

Vakrinos’ last two victims were the brothers Costas Spyropoulos, 33, and Antonis Spyropoulos, 35, whom he killed on Dec. 21, 1995. The two brothers were shot repeatedly after chasing Vakrinos. Vakrinos had earlier stolen the car of Costas Spyropoulos.

Vakrinos was also alleged to be responsible for four cases of attempted murder, one of which was against a police officer, and five armed robberies.

Investigation and arrest

On April 11, 1997, the Athens News Agency reported that Athens police arrested a taxi driver on charges of committing five murders as well as a number of attempted murders and armed robberies over the past 10 years.

Outcome

Dimitris Vakrinos was found dead in the showers of the prison’s isolation ward.

Aftermath

Vakrinos was hanging by the neck from shoelaces tied to a shower head when he was found dead on May 12, 1997.