Ex-Wife of UC Berkeley Professor in Greek Tragedy Denies Involvement

A Tragic Shooting in Athens: The Death of a UC Berkeley Professor

A tragic incident occurred earlier this month when a UC Berkeley professor was fatally shot in Greece. The event has sparked significant attention, particularly as the ex-wife of the victim has denied any involvement in the killing, while four suspects have confessed to the crime.

The professor, Przemyslaw Jeziorski, was 43 years old and served as an associate professor of marketing at the university. He was shot in the chest and back by a masked gunman on July 4 in Agia Paraskev, an Athens suburb. According to Greek police, five individuals were arrested last week in connection with the shooting. These include the ex-wife, her partner, and three other accomplices.

Jeziorski was in Athens for a custody hearing involving his two children, following a long-term custody battle with Konstantina Michelidaki, who he divorced in 2024. Court records from Alameda County identify Michelidaki as his ex-wife, although she has not been officially named by authorities. The custody dispute had been ongoing for several years, with Michelidaki reportedly facing "moral accomplice" charges.

In a fundraiser page, Jeziorski's brother, Lukasz Jeziorski, stated that all five suspects are currently in custody. He described the shooting as a "horrific cold-blooded murder" and claimed that his brother’s ex-wife "masterminded" the killing. Lukasz also expressed his commitment to adopting his brother's 10-year-old twins, who are now under the supervision of Greek social workers. The children have been living with Michelidaki in Athens since 2020.

According to Alameda County court records, Jeziorski had filed for a domestic violence restraining order in May. The order, viewed by KGO-TV, alleged that Michelidaki's partner assaulted Jeziorski during custody exchanges. However, the request was denied by a California court. Court records show that Jeziorski and Michelidaki began their divorce process in 2021, though the reasons for the separation remain unclear.

The couple married in 2014 and traveled Europe and Southeast Asia for three months before founding Keybee, an AI-powered vacation rental property management company based in Berkeley. Michelidaki previously worked as a consultant for Ameriprise Financial in San Francisco from 2011 to 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, her roles were based in Athens.

In an interview with KGO-TV, Michelidaki's lawyer, Alexandros Pasiatas, stated that she had no knowledge of the alleged murder plot and is now "terrified" for her children. He emphasized that she had no prior knowledge of the events and was merely the girlfriend of the accused. Pasiatas did not respond to requests for further comment.

The alleged motive behind the shooting was reportedly linked to the custody battle. The partner of Michelidaki told police that he acted to prevent Jeziorski from taking the children. In a police statement, he said, "I did it all for [her] and our children so that we could have a normal life without problems."

Other suspects, including a Bulgarian national and two Albanian nationals, allegedly assisted with logistics, provided the weapon, and received 2,000 euros each, according to TVP World, a Polish news outlet. The Greek court has not responded to requests for additional information about the case or court hearings.

This tragic event highlights the complex and often dangerous nature of custody battles, especially when they involve international elements. As the investigation continues, the community remains in shock over the loss of a respected academic and the circumstances surrounding his death.