Greek authorities have arrested six people in connection with the fatal shooting of UC Berkeley professor Przemyslaw Jeziorski, including his ex-wife, her boyfriend, two Albanian nationals, a Bulgarian accomplice, and one minor.
Jeziorski, 43, a respected professor of business and marketing, was gunned down in broad daylight on July 4 in Agia Paraskevi, a suburb of Athens, while visiting for a custody hearing involving his twin 10-year-old children.
According to police, the ex-wife’s boyfriend has confessed to the killing, claiming he carried it out at her direction. “I did it all for her and our children so we could have a normal life without problems,” he told investigators. He has been charged with premeditated murder and illegal possession and use of a firearm.
Authorities say the suspect, along with three alleged accomplices, waited for Jeziorski at a predetermined location before ambushing him. The professor was shot multiple times in the chest and neck and died at the scene.
The alleged gunman admitted he had been planning the attack for weeks and had enlisted the help of a Bulgarian friend to track Jeziorski and “scare him” in order to prevent him from gaining custody of the children. Instead, he said, “I went up to him and shot him a couple of times, but I can’t recall how many.”
Despite the boyfriend’s confession and claims that the ex-wife orchestrated the murder, she has denied any involvement. All six suspects are in custody as the investigation unfolds.
Court documents obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle reveal that Jeziorski had previously filed a restraining order against his ex-wife, citing incidents of physical assault by her boyfriend during child custody exchanges. The filings reflect growing tension over a long-running and bitter custody battle that had crossed international borders.
Greek police continue to examine the roles of the other individuals involved in what they believe was a premeditated and coordinated attack.
