By Constantinos Psillides
A man found dead in a burnt car on Saturday evening in Xylophagou, inside the British bases, had been shot in the chest twice, reports said, as a DNA test will be carried out to confirm his identity.
Police investigators believe that the charred body found inside belongs to 39-year old Michael “Mike” Shailos, a businessman and father of two.
Reports said the preliminary findings of an autopsy showed that it was Shailos but a DNA test would confirm it beyond any doubt. The results where expected by the end of the week.
Panicos Panayi, head of CID in Dhekelia, said on Monday that the victim was shot twice in the chest. He was found slumped towards the passenger seat.
Police are looking into whether the victim was executed at the crime scene or whether he was killed elsewhere before driven to the area.
Panayi added that further tests would determine whether Shailos was alive when the car was torched.
Shailos had been the target of a murder attempt in December 23, 2013, in which he was seriously injured.
He was shot three times while exiting a coffee shop in Xylophagou with two friends.
Police said then that Shailos was shot by assailants in a car. He was shot twice in the abdomen and once on his right arm.
He was rushed to Paralimni hospital where he underwent surgery. The shooter was never identified.