Son confesses to Crete murder after father turned himself in

The investigation into Sunday’s murder of a 23-year-old man in Crete over what appears to be a land dispute took a new twist on Thursday after the victim’s cousin confessed to the crime, effectively exonerating his father who told police on Wednesday that he had fired the fatal shot.

According to reports, the 23-year-old died en route to hospital after being shot during an argument with his uncle and cousin over land rights. The crime took place in Anogeia, a rugged mountain village in Rethymno where gun possession – both legal and illegal – is rife and blood feuds not unheard of.

The 54-year-old father turned himself in on Wednesday, but investigators believe he may have been trying to shield his son, who came forward on Thursday and said that he, in fact, was responsible for killing his 23-year-old cousin.

The bullet has not been found, so police cannot yet ascertain whether it came from the 9 mm pistol or the Kalashnikov assault rifle that the father and son handed over to police.

Both the father and son, however, claim that they fired their weapons in self-defense after being shot at by the victim in their car.

Members of their family living in the village, meanwhile, have reportedly left their homes and moved to secret locations amid fears of retribution.