28-year-old remanded in custody for knife attack on 54-year-old shopkeeper in Kremasti, Rhodes

The incident

On the evening of July 16, 2026, a 28-year-old man allegedly stabbed a 54-year-old shopkeeper in the village of Kremasti on the Greek island of Rhodes. The confrontation followed a minor dispute the previous day, July 15, when the suspect visited the victim's shop to buy two beers. According to the suspect's later testimony, he believed he had paid for the beers but was told he had not; he then returned them. The following evening, the shopkeeper confronted the suspect outside a local café, leading to a physical altercation. The situation escalated later that night outside the suspect's home, where the stabbing occurred.

The suspect's defense

Appearing before an investigating judge on July 21, accompanied by his lawyers, the 28-year-old denied the charges and argued he acted in lawful self-defense. He claimed that the 54-year-old shopkeeper punched him in the face outside the café, and that he used a broken bottle only as a deterrent to escape. Later, he said, the shopkeeper and two other individuals waited outside his home, threatened him, and attacked him with sticks and fists. The suspect stated he retrieved a hunting knife and used it defensively, after being hit in the eye with a stone. He attributed all injuries described in the case file to actions taken in self-defense. The suspect also disclosed that he suffers from a serious psychiatric condition and receives medication for it, a factor his defense may raise at trial.

Court ruling

The investigating judge and prosecutor rejected the self-defense claim. After the hearing on July 21, they unanimously ordered the 28-year-old to be held in pre-trial detention. He faces charges of attempted homicide with multiple counts (κατά συρροή), indicating the attack may have endangered more than one person, along with additional felonies and misdemeanors. The unanimous decision reflects the court's assessment that the self-defense claim lacked credibility. Local media reported that the suspect was taken to prison immediately after the ruling.

Timeline of events

Next steps

The case now moves toward trial, where the court will examine the suspect's mental health, the sequence of events, and the credibility of the self-defense argument. No trial date has been announced.