Police examining the cases undertaken by murdered lawyer

Police on Friday stepped up an investigation into the murder of prominent lawyer Michalis Zafeiropoulos, who was gunned down in his central Athens office on Thursday night, apparently by perpetrators posing as clients.

According to authorities, the two men who entered the building on Asklipiou Street at around 7 p.m. had an appointment with Zafeiropoulos.

Once they were alone with him, they shot him in the head and chest.

As Zafeiropoulos's office has no surveillance cameras, police are focusing on the footage of cameras from shops in the area in their bid to identify the killers.

The police investigation was focusing on recent cases undertaken by the 52-year-old criminal lawyer as investigators believe one of these may have provoked the perpetrators.

Among the cases handled by Zafeiropoulos are the defense of a suspect in the Energa-Hellas Power embezzlement affair (which has been linked to an attempted contract killing), the defense of the publisher of Parapolitika in a case against Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, the defense of arms dealer Thomas Liakounakos as well as theft and drug cases.  

Zafeiropoulos was a well-known criminal lawyer and the son of former New Democracy MP Nondas Zafeiropoulos. His murder prompted a reaction from Greece's political parties.