Australian Fugitive Murder Suspect's Potential Escape from Prosecution in Greece Worries Police
Time is running out for Australian police in their pursuit of a notorious murder suspect who has been on the run for nearly 25 years, believed to have fled to Greece With growing concerns of evading prosecution, capturing this fugitive becomes a race against time
Australian authorities are urging for the immediate arrest of James Dalamangas, a murder suspect who fled to Greece almost 25 years ago. The 54-year-old is wanted for his involvement in a fatal stabbing at a nightclub in the Sydney suburb of Belmore on April 25, 1999, which resulted in the death of 32-year-old George Giannopoulos.
Dalamangas has managed to evade capture after an arrest warrant was issued for him the day after the killing, according to a joint statement by the Australian Federal Police and New South Wales Police on Tuesday.
Detective Superintendent Grant Taylor of NSW Police stated at a press conference that Dalamangas fled the country shortly after the incident, and is believed to have sought refuge in Greece, where he remains to this day.
The issue for Australian authorities is that Greece has a statute of limitations for prosecution, giving them only four months to locate Dalamangas and begin legal action. Despite unsuccessful attempts to extradite him to Australia in 2003, Greek authorities agreed to prosecute Dalamangas. However, the process was suspended when he could not be found.
Police have released an illustrative age progression photo of James Dalamangas showing what he may look like now.
The sister of the victim, Toula Giannopoulos, appealed for assistance in locating the perpetrator responsible for her brother's murder, in order for her family to find closure and move forward with their lives, particularly her young children who were 8 and 4 years old when their father was killed.
"I think there are people, both here and in Greece, who are protecting him, and it's making it incredibly difficult for my family," she stated.
"For 25 years, we've been struggling with loss and grief, with no resolution or closure to ease our pain," Toula Giannopoulos added.
The Giannopoulos family has immigrated to Australia from Greece, and police have remarked that they are seeking support from their homeland to help them find justice for their family.
The Australian police have released an age-progression image of Dalamangas, depicting his potential appearance at age 54, and are appealing to the public in Greece for assistance in locating him. Additionally, they have announced a reward of 200,000 Australian dollars ($134,000) for any information leading to Dalamangas's arrest, which can be claimed from outside Australia.
Taylor recognized that there is a limited time to bring Dalamangus to a Greek court, and that this opportunity may be lost forever if the suspect does not leave the country. "In Greece, prosecution may not be possible after April," Taylor stated.
"If Dalamangus were to leave Greece, then all bets are off."
