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Developer guilty of tenant murder Developer guilty of tenant murder
(20 minutes later)
A developer has been found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering a tenant over a £2m property deal. A developer who arranged the killing of a tenant after he had refused to leave a building wanted for a £2m property deal has been convicted of his murder.
Thanos Papalexis, 37, of Palm Beach, Florida, allegedly hired henchmen to kill caretaker Charalambos Christodoulides, 55, in March 2000.Thanos Papalexis, 37, of Palm Beach, Florida, allegedly hired henchmen to kill caretaker Charalambos Christodoulides, 55, in March 2000.
Mr Christodoulides' body was found in a warehouse complex in Kensal Rise, north-west London. He had refused to leave the building. His body was found in a warehouse complex in Kensal Rise, north-west London, which he had refused to leave.
Mr Papalexis and two of his employees had denied murder. Mr Papalexis is in custody awaiting sentence on 30 September.
The conviction could not be reported until Monday when the jury was discharged after failing to reach verdicts on Ylli Xhelo, 35, and Robert Baxhija, 29. It appears that the victim was condemned to die for no better reason than he was not prepared to leave his home Prosecutor Jonathan Laidlaw QC class="" href="/1/hi/background/preparation_-_will_not_publish/8126541.stm">Tycoon eliminated stubborn tenant
Papalexis's conviction on Friday could not be reported until Monday when the jury was discharged after failing to reach verdicts on Ylli Xhelo, 35, and Robert Baxhija, 29.
The two Albanian workmen employed by Papalexis had also also been charged with the murder.The two Albanian workmen employed by Papalexis had also also been charged with the murder.
Papalexis, who had held a fundraiser at his Florida home for Hillary Clinton, had Christodoulides killed as he would not leave a £2m building he was trying to sell, the court heard. Papalexis, who had held a fundraiser at his Florida home for Hillary Clinton, had Christodoulides killed as he would not leave the £2m warehouse building he was trying to sell, the court heard.
He was worried the deal would collapse and needed money for another development.He was worried the deal would collapse and needed money for another development.
Papalexis was also in a "perilous" financial state after his inexperience led to heavy losses on another development in Holloway, north London.
He was paying £60,000 a week on a bridging loan.
Tortured and strangled
The developer was arrested in Palm Beach in November last year after police spent years building up a case against him.
Local prostitute Rebecca DeFalco then told US marshals that Papalexis, her former lover, had confessed to her in 2004.
The prosecution said Papalexis thought Mr Christodoulides stood in the way of a quick deal to sell the derelict site to save him from financial ruin.
Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said Mr Christodoulides had been tied to a chair, tortured and strangled.Jonathan Laidlaw QC, prosecuting, said Mr Christodoulides had been tied to a chair, tortured and strangled.
Mr Laidlaw added: "It appears that the victim was condemned to die for no better reason than he was not prepared to leave his home."
Mr Xhelo and Mr Baxhija were remanded in custody to face a retrial.