Family of Black Swan dip king Christos Saristavros offers $1m to find his killer
It has been nearly two decades since Black Swan dip tycoon Christos Saristavros was ambushed and gunned down in Box Hill. Eighteen years after the businessman died in wife Tammy’s arms, his family is offering $1 million of their own money to anyone who can provide information leading to the killer’s conviction.
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The family of murdered Black Swan dip tycoon Christos Saristavros has offered $1 million of their own money to anyone who can provide information leading to the killer’s conviction.
Mr Saristavros, 44, was shot in his head and chest during a botched robbery at Box Hill in October 2000, and died in the arms of wife Tammy.
Police still have no strong leads, over 18 years later.
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Now, the murdered man’s youngest son, Stavros, said the family would hand $1 million to anyone who could get the killer locked up — on top of the $100,000 being offered by Victoria Police.
“For $1 million you can change your life,” he said in a message to potential informants. “Find dad’s killer and the money is yours. We want to close this chapter in our lives. Anyone who helps us get to that point will get the reward — they deserve it.”
Stavros said his father’s murder struck at the heart of the community — he was an innocent man with no criminal links, and the killer remained at large.
“The reward is a great incentive for justice. We are not running a contest giveaway or a prize — it’s for justice,” he said.
“This is not an underworld killing; he was an ordinary family man.”
The Sunday Herald Sun has learned police used a linguist in an attempt to work out the killer’s accent, and believe he may be of South East Asian origin. They also received information from counter staff at a convenience store where the gunman was last seen, in a bid to build a profile.
Mrs Saristavros, traumatised by the murder of her husband, underwent hypnotherapy in a bid to trigger further clues to help detectives.
A self-made millionaire who learned how to make Greek dips in his grandmother’s kitchen as a teenager, Mr Saristavros and his wife were leaving a fundraising event for disadvantaged children on October 20, 2000, when a hooded gunman ambushed them in the dark.
The would-be robber approached the side of their Saab car and made hushed demands before a struggle broke out between the two men.
The father of two was shot in his chest. Despite being wounded, in a final brave move he managed to chase his assailant for 8m — and as he grabbed him to look at his face, he was then shot in his head.
Mrs Saristavros cradled her husband in her arms as he died. A doctor and nurse, guests at the charity dinner, were unable to save him.
The only lead is CCTV footage
of a man at a nearby 7-Eleven that he intended to rob earlier in the night.
The case was reviewed in 2001 but no leads or motives surfaced.
“This remains an open investigation,” said Victoria Police spokeswoman Alex Day.
Mr Saristavros made a last-minute decision to go to the fundraiser, and he left before it finished in order to get to work early the next day.
Those facts prompted the family to rule out the murder being any sort of planned “hit”.
“My father was highly respected, and it’s not just because he was my father that I’m saying that,” Stavros said. “Could he have had enemies? You can’t rule that out, but you struggle to think like that.
“When it’s the family member next door, the everyday citizen who gets murdered, people s--- themselves, people don’t like that.
“My father falls into that category. There is no rhyme or reason.”
Stavros said he and his family feared that unless new information surfaced, his father’s killer would remain free and effectively get away with murder.
“You are just chasing a ghost,” he said. “Our best chance of cracking the case is this reward.”
The family hopes that — given more than 18 years have passed — there has been a fallout between the shooter and his associates or a friend he may have confided in, or a new ally he may have confessed to.
“We need someone to give us fair dinkum information. Everybody walks away happy and justice has been served and the criminal has been put away,” Stavros said.
All three of Stavros’s sons carry parts of their grandfather’s name — including the eldest who is called Christos.
The family sold Black Swan Dips in a major deal several years ago.
The conglomerate, Monde Nissin Australia, now runs the brand in Clayton South.
Stavros said: “The last 18 years have been hard and mum still struggles with it. It is never easy and he has been missed. My children didn’t know their grandfather — that’s one of the hardest things for us.
“My father would have been a great-grandfather, the kids would just love him.”
Stavros said the family’s theory was the killer panicked during the bungled robbery. “A lot of people in life when you get these crimes want vengeance — I don’t want vengeance, I want justice,” he said.
“I just want my father’s killer caught.”
KEY CLUES
• Christos and wife Tammy Saristavros attend charity night for disadvantaged Cypriot children at the Stathi’s Athenian Tavern on October 22, 2000.
• The couple leaves the Box Hill venue at 10pm because Mr Saristavros wants to be up early for work.
• They are confronted at their Saab car by a hooded gunman in the carpark at the corner of Cambridge and Station streets, 100m from the venue.
• Mr Saristavros and the gunman struggle and the tycoon is shot in the chest, and then as he chases the shooter, he is shot in the head, 8m later.
• The gunman flees on foot.
• Mr Saristavros dies in his wife’s arms.
• She runs inside the venue and screams for help with paramedics arriving at 10.26pm.
• The killer was at a nearby 7-Eleven just moments earlier, intending to rob the store.
• He wore prescription glasses, a black knitted beanie, dark jacket and white runners. Described as South East Asian.
• Victoria Police reward: $100,000
• Saristavros family reward: $1 million
— Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or go to crimestoppersvic.com.au