A man suspected of the brutal killing of two women in Australia nearly a half-century ago has been arrested in Rome on an international arrest warrant. The 65-year-old suspect, who holds dual Greek and Australian citizenship, was detained at Rome’s Fiumicino airport after arriving on a flight from Greece. Reports indicate that the suspect had been residing in Greece, shielded by the country’s statute of limitations.
Australian authorities have confirmed their intention to begin the extradition process for the suspect, with Italian courts expected to determine the timeline for this legal procedure. The suspect stands accused of the 1977 knife attack that resulted in the deaths of Suzanne Armstrong, 27, and Susan Bartlett, 28, two friends who were found murdered in their rented house on Easey Street in Melbourne. Despite the tragic nature of the crime, Armstrong’s 16-month-old son was found unharmed in a separate room.
The case, famously known as the “Easey Street murders,” had remained unsolved for decades, making it Melbourne’s most enduring and severe cold case. In 2017, Victoria Police offered a $1 million reward in hopes of solving the mystery surrounding the double homicide. It wasn't until the same year that advancements in forensic technology provided a breakthrough in the investigation, leading authorities to identify the suspect through a DNA sample request.
