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| Developer guilty of tenant murder | Developer guilty of tenant murder |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A developer who arranged the killing of a tenant after he had refused to leave a building earmarked for a £2m property deal has been convicted of his murder. | A developer who arranged the killing of a tenant after he had refused to leave a building earmarked 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. |
| His body was found in a warehouse complex in Kensal Rise, north-west London, which he had refused to leave. | His body was found in a warehouse complex in Kensal Rise, north-west London, which he had refused to leave. |
| Papalexis is in custody awaiting sentence on 30 September. | Papalexis is in custody awaiting sentence on 30 September. |
| His 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. | His 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 once held a fundraiser at his Florida home for Hillary Clinton, had Christodoulides killed because he would not leave the £2m warehouse building he was trying to sell, the court heard. | Papalexis, who once held a fundraiser at his Florida home for Hillary Clinton, had Christodoulides killed because he would not leave the £2m warehouse building he was trying to sell, the court heard. |
| 'Perilous' finances | |
| 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' financial affairs were also said to be in a "perilous" state after his inexperience led to heavy losses on another development in Holloway, north London. | Papalexis' financial affairs were also said to be in a "perilous" 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. | He was paying £60,000 a week on a bridging loan. |
| The developer was arrested in Palm Beach in November 2008 after police finished building their case against him. | The developer was arrested in Palm Beach in November 2008 after police finished building their case against him. |
| The killing of Mr Christodoulides was descibed as "senseless" | |
| A local prostitute, Rebecca DeFalco, was said to have told US marshals that Papalexis, her former lover, had confessed to her in 2004. | A local prostitute, Rebecca DeFalco, was said to have 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 which would have saved him from financial ruin. | The prosecution said Papalexis thought Mr Christodoulides stood in the way of a quick deal to sell the derelict site which would have saved him from financial ruin. |
| The property deal fell through and the Holloway development was put into receivership with £8m debts. | The property deal fell through and the Holloway development was put into receivership with £8m debts. |
| 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 Laidlaw added: "It appears that the victim was condemned to die for no better reason than he was not prepared to leave his home. |
| "This was a senseless killing motivated by greed." | "This was a senseless killing motivated by greed." |
| Mr Christodoulides' sister, Anna Lanitis, 60, wept as she told the court: "We loved him. He was a very gentle person. He lived his life the way he wanted." | Mr Christodoulides' sister, Anna Lanitis, 60, wept as she told the court: "We loved him. He was a very gentle person. He lived his life the way he wanted." |
| After Mr Christodoulides' body was discovered, Papalexis went to America and the Albanians, who had been denied asylum, were deported. | After Mr Christodoulides' body was discovered, Papalexis went to America and the Albanians, who had been denied asylum, were deported. |
| Mr Xhelo and Mr Baxhija were remanded in custody to face a retrial. | Mr Xhelo and Mr Baxhija were remanded in custody to face a retrial. |