Greek court adjourns trial of mother and son accused of burying pensioner in Marathon

Postponement of the court hearing

A Greek misdemeanor court adjourned the trial of a 68-year-old woman and her 36-year-old son accused of concealing the remains of the woman's 90-year-old mother in Marathon. Both defendants were brought at midday on 7 September 2026 before the Single-Member Misdemeanor Court in Athens to face charges of jointly disposing of a corpse by any means. The judicial panel postponed the proceedings until Thursday, 10 September 2026, to summon the 68-year-old defendant's daughter to testify in person. The daughter had previously filed the official missing-person report regarding her grandmother with law enforcement authorities, an alert that initiated the investigation and the discovery of skeletal remains buried across a storage shed and garden area on the family property. Both defendants were granted release from custody until the new trial date convenes.

Statements during the initial hearing

During the midday court appearance on 7 September 2026, the presiding judge questioned the 68-year-old woman about the indictment and whether she accepted responsibility for the alleged acts. In her responses to the bench, the woman stated that they had done many things and that she had done bad things. When the presiding judge asked specifically when her elderly mother had died, the defendant answered that she could not remember, explaining that the situation was terrible and that her mother was very old. When questioned about the steps taken immediately after the death, the woman told the judge that they moved her so she would not be dead. She also acknowledged to the court that she had collected the elderly woman's state pension following the death, though she stated that she no longer receives those payments.

Defense testimony and rejected evaluation

The 36-year-old co-defendant testified alongside his mother and denied all involvement in or knowledge of the concealment of his grandmother's body. He stated to the court that he was unwell, did not understand what was happening, and had only discovered late that his mother was continuing to collect his grandmother's pension. Before the trial was adjourned, defense counsel formally requested that the court order a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation for both defendants and suspend proceedings until its completion. The attorney argued that communication with his clients was exceptionally difficult and claimed they lacked the mental capacity to be held accountable for the alleged offenses. The court, adopting the recommendation submitted by the public prosecutor, rejected the request for a psychiatric evaluation.

Forensic inquiry and financial fraud thresholds

The case remains subject to further investigations regarding potential state fraud tied to unearned pension disbursements. A specialized forensic anthropologist has been tasked with examining the recovered skeletal remains to determine the biological age of the victim and establish the precise date and year of death. The resulting forensic timeline will dictate the financial scope of illicit pension benefits collected by the defendants over time. Under Greek penal provisions applicable to fraud against the public sector, the offense will be elevated to a felony charge if the total sum fraudulently obtained exceeds 120,000 euros, whereas sums below that threshold will remain prosecuted as a misdemeanor.