Athens - A Greek man went on trial Friday for allegedly killing his British wife and the family dog nearly a year ago and trying to pass it off as a robbery.
Liverpool-born Caroline Crouch, 20, had been found dead on May 11 in the attic of the couple’s home in Glyka Nera, a semi-rural suburb northeast of Athens.
She was suffocated on a bed next to her 11-month baby girl, authorities said. Her husband of less than two years, Babis Anagnostopoulos -- a 33-year-old helicopter pilot -- told police that three men had broken into the house, tying him up and killing his wife before making off with 15,000 euros ($18,000) in cash and other valuables.
He also alleged the robbers killed the family dog, which was found hanged from a staircase.
Anagnostopoulos’ lawyer on Friday requested a postponement owing to a scheduling problem and the trial was adjourned to April 12.
Greece’s police minister Michalis Chrysohoidis said at the time he was shocked by the “barbarity” of the crime and police posted 300,000-euro reward for information on the perpetrators. But police were unable to find any trace of the gang.
Anagnostopoulos stuck to his story for over a month, giving regular statements to the media as authorities slowly built a case against him.