CYPRUS: Police believe serial killer does not have other victims

Cyprus police believe there are no more hidden victims other than the seven foreign women and children the serial killer has confessed to murdering and dumping their bodies.

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None of the 30 women with whom the confessed serial killer of five foreign women and two children chatted with online are missing, according to police.

Newly-appointed Police Chief Kypros Michaelides told MPs of the House Human Rights and Legal Affairs Committees that all the women with whom the 35-year-old Greek Cypriot army caption had chatted with online are accounted for.

He added that police findings do not indicate that the suspect was involved in additional killings other than the ones he has confessed to.

The Police Chief also referred to mistakes and omissions made by officers handling the cases of the women and children who were initially reported missing and later found murdered.

Michaelides said there is a criminal investigation being carried out and that he personally will be relentless in attributing accountability, as he intends to "cleanse" the force of members who do not fulfill their duties properly.

While answering MPs’ questions, he said that based on the outcome of the investigation into how police handled the initial missing cases, actions will be taken to prevent similar mistakes in the future.

Michaelides said proceedings surrounding the serial killings will serve as a study case for trainees at the Police Academy.

Head of the Legal Committee, George Georgiou said that they expect the probe into the way the force handled the cases to be completed within the next three months.

Police are still searching for two bodies thought to be dumped in two lake while five have been recovered.