Greek media have released new details of the femicide that occurred on Monday in Rhodope, where a 53-year-old man is suspected of stabbing his 44-year-old wife to death. Bujar Meço shot his wife Esma and then tried to end his life by consuming pesticides, after initially stabbing himself in the abdomen.
The 53-year-old explained his actions to the police, claiming that he acted in a state of tension and that he "got confused." The Albanian is still being treated in hospital for his injuries. Although he was scheduled to appear before the prosecutor this Thursday, media reports say that his transfer to court will take place on Friday.
Authorities have taken statements from both children of the family. The tragedy occurred on Wednesday, August 26, on the birthday of the couple's minor daughter. The 44-year-old, who worked in Thassos, in the tourism sector, had returned to Rhodope to be near her children and celebrate with them. However, no one could have imagined that her return would result in a family tragedy.
The 53-year-old is alleged to have attacked the 44-year-old with a knife, fatally wounding her in the neck. Shortly after, he shot himself in the stomach and consumed pesticides in a desperate attempt to commit suicide. The couple's 16-year-old daughter called authorities to report that her father had stabbed her mother.
The family's 19-year-old son took his mother to the hospital, but doctors declared her dead. The father was later taken to the hospital by ambulance and is being treated under observation, but his life is not in danger.
The couple had settled in Greece from Albania about two decades ago but had recently separated. The 44-year-old had planned to file for divorce this Thursday.
People close to him say that in the past the 53-year-old had shown strong and pathological jealousy, as well as taking medication. The woman allegedly had in the past requested psychiatric hospitalization for her husband, but this happened.
What the 44-year-old's lawyer, Evangelia Kola, revealed is shocking. As she reported, the unfortunate woman had decided to proceed with the divorce and had contacted him to meet. "The couple have had many problems for several years, while there have also been other incidents of domestic violence, such as in Heraklion, Crete in 2022," she said.
The lawyer noted that the woman returned to Rhodope for her daughter's birthday, hoping that the situation in the family could improve. However, seeing that the problems remained, she decided to file for divorce.
"She called me to meet to move forward. We had scheduled a meeting tomorrow, but unfortunately we didn't make it," Kola said. She revealed that the 53-year-old had a psychiatric history, had been hospitalized in the past, was seen by a psychiatrist twice a month and was taking medication, confirming the unfortunate woman's environment.
The 44-year-old woman died from a wound caused by a 20-centimeter kitchen knife, resulting in internal and external bleeding in the right lung, according to the findings of the forensic examination. The woman, based on expert assessments, died within about 5 minutes. Two knives were seized at the scene. ©LAPSI.al
