Tributes pour in to murdered restaurant girl Eleni

Jun 1 2008

TRIBUTES to murdered restaurant manager Eleni Pachou flooded in from her heartbroken friends last night.

The popular 25-year-old - who moved to Scotland from Greece as a student - was found stabbed to death in her pizzeria on Friday morning.

Last night as her parents prepared to travel to Scotland, friends and colleagues praised their "talented" friend.

Four bouquets of flowers had also been left at the restaurant, Di Maggio's in Glasgow's west end.

The pizza chain said: "This has come as a terrible shock to everyone.

"Eleni was a beautiful, sparkling young woman who was a valuable and well-liked member of our team.

"Her obvious talent and flair wonher a place on our trainee management programme, where she was excelling.

"Everyone here is stunned by this tragedy and our thoughts are very much with her family."

Chef Rafael Ojuez added: "She was a great girl and everyone liked her. She was a happy girl.

"I am shocked by this. Who would want to hurt her? It is such a shame.

"She never mentioned a boyfriend and never got involved with anyone in the restaurant."

Eleni's body was found by a cleaner inside Di Maggio's in Ruthven Lane, off Byres Road. She had been repeatedly stabbed.

Police refused to say if money had been taken from the till.

Neighbours heard a single piercing scream late on Thursday night.

One of Eleni's colleagues told police the dead girl had volunteered to lock up that night because she was waiting for a lift to her city centre flat. They did not know from whom.

Her neighbours in North Frederick Street described her as a quiet girl who always said hello. Detectives are thought to have checked her flat yesterday.

Last night the Greek consulate said Eleni's parents were travelling to Scotland, where Eleni stayed after graduating from Strathclyde University.

But they face a long wait to take her body home while Strathclyde Police investigate her murder.

Yesterday forensic experts carried out a post mortem.