Belgrade: 73-year-old fruit seller found dead in Karaburma apartment

A 73-year-old man was found dead in an attic apartment above his longtime fruit and vegetable shop in the Karaburma neighbourhood of Belgrade, police say, and investigators are treating the case as a violent homicide while they search for the perpetrator.

The victim, identified as Radivoj G., was discovered laying naked on a mattress with his hands tightly bound behind his back with shoelaces, according to preliminary accounts from the scene. The condition of the body prompted investigators to conclude he was likely overpowered before he was killed.

Authorities expand probe into motive and contacts

Investigators have not ruled out robbery or a financially motivated crime, noting that Radivoj G. owned several commercial properties and ran a fruit shop on the ground floor beneath the apartment where his body was found. Detectives are collecting material evidence and reviewing the deceased’s business activities and contacts as part of a full-scale inquiry.

Neighbours described the man known locally as "Rasha" as a quiet, hardworking figure who had been part of the street for years. One neighbour, speaking through tears, said: "I can't believe someone killed Rasha. We all loved him. He was a wonderful, honest and hardworking man, always kind and ready to greet. It's terrible what happened."

Police units and a duty public prosecutor from the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade conducted a detailed on-site inspection. Officers gathered traces and other material evidence that could lead to identifying and arresting whoever is responsible.

By order of the prosecutor's office the body was transported to the Institute of Forensic Medicine, where an autopsy will determine the exact cause and time of death. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to reconstruct events and find those responsible.

Photo: press material from the event