Greek farmer gets life for rape, killing of US scientist

A Greek farmer who claimed he was “possessed by demons” when he raped and killed an American scientist last year in Crete is sentenced to life in prison.

A court in Rethymno sentences Yiannis Paraskakis, a 28-year-old married father of two, to life for the murder of Suzanne Eaton, and 13 years for her rape. His defense lawyer will appeal the verdict.

The body of Eaton, a molecular biologist at the Max Planck Institute at Dresden University, was found near the city of Chania on the Greek island in July 2019.

A police officer who interrogated Paraskakis told the court he confessed after six hours of questioning.

“He said he was possessed by demons giving him orders,” he said.

The scientist’s sister, Julie Eaton Broaddus, was present at the start of the trial, telling reporters: “It was really, really difficult to come here. But I felt that I needed to be here, to speak up for what an amazing and accomplished woman she was.”

Eaton Broaddus, who later left court because she did not want to be in the same room as the suspect, described her sister as a “loving, doting mother” and said her death was “a horrible, tragic thing.”

Eaton, 59, was in Chania for a scientific conference and had gone out jogging without her mobile phone on the day of her murder, police said.

— AFP