New details have emerged in the killing of a 20-year-old Portuguese tourist in the southern Albanian resort town of Ksamil, where the victim was found dead in the early hours of the morning following what police suspect was a knife attack.

The victim, identified by his initials as L.V., was found unresponsive at around 5:15 a.m. on sun loungers at a beach in front of a local establishment, according to preliminary information. Investigators believe he was stabbed following a confrontation.

At the center of the investigation is 29-year-old Sokrat Vata, a resident of Has, who police suspect was involved in the fatal attack. Authorities say Vata fled immediately after the confrontation and remains at large, with police continuing searches to locate and arrest him.

Investigators are also examining the circumstances that led to the confrontation, including a possible dispute involving a woman.

Suspect previously convicted in the UK

Vata is also reported to have a criminal record in the United Kingdom. According to British court and police reports, he was sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after admitting a series of drug and dangerous-driving offenses.

Court records show that on April 30, 2024, police in Cambridge spotted Vata driving a stolen Toyota RAV4. He attempted to evade officers, eventually abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot. During the pursuit, he threw a package of cocaine into bushes before being arrested in a nearby garden. Police found £560 in cash, and he tested positive for drug driving.

In a separate incident in Kent on April 13, Vata reportedly failed to stop for police while driving a vehicle with cloned license plates. The vehicle crashed, and officers recovered bags of cocaine and additional license plates.

Vata later appeared before Cambridge Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply, two counts of dangerous driving, possession of cannabis and drug driving. He was sentenced to five years in prison in September 2024.

The circumstances surrounding the death of the Portuguese tourist in Ksamil remain under investigation, while Albanian authorities continue efforts to locate the suspect.