PHARMACIST CHARGED WITH MURDER
Female Friend Overdosed on Morphine

A 36-year-old licensed pharmacist was charged with First-Degree Murder in connection with the October 2000 drug overdose death of a Clearwater woman.

VASILIOS KATOGIRITIS (03-16-65) was booked into the Pinellas County Jail today following his extradition from New York, where he had been in the custody of the New York Port Authority Police since March 26 of this year.

Katogiritis is charged in the death of Christina Hurst (03-09-77), who died of an overdose of morphine on October 15, 2000, according to Clearwater Police Detective Stephen Bohling. Both Katogiritis and Hurst were residing at apartment 1118 of the Savannah Trace Apartments, 2690 Drew Street, when the woman died.

According to Detective Bohling, Clearwater Police were called to the expansive east Clearwater complex on October 15, 2000, when Clearwater Fire Department rescue personnel were unable to restore the normal respiration functions of a young woman who appeared to have overdosed.

The woman, later identified as Hurst, was pronounced dead shortly after she arrived at a local hospital. Detective Bohling said he discovered evidence of narcotics injections on her body. Katogiritis admitted he had provided Hurst with morphine, and that he had illegally used the controlled substance himself.

Shortly after Hurst's death, investigators learned Katogiritis had disappeared, and although they were unable to locate him, they worked closely with the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney's Office in developing a case.

On February 20, 2001, a Grand Jury convened, and subsequently handed up a True Bill, resulting in the issuance of a warrant charging Katogiritis with First-Degree Murder (see 782.04 (3) Florida Statutes).

Law enforcement officials were unable to locate Katogiritis until March 26, 2001, when he returned from Greece aboard a flight into New York's LaGuardia Airport, where he was taken into custody by U.S. Customs. Katogiritis was turned over to New York City Port Authority Police, where he was held on the strength of the Florida warrant.

Extradition procedures resulted in his being returned to Pinellas County today.

This is the extent of information available regarding this case at this time. For additional details, please contact Public Information Officer Wayne Shelor at (727)-562-4333.

/s/
Captain R.W. Jones
Commander – Criminal Investigations Division