UC Berkeley professor ‘murdered in cold blood’ in Greece, family says

(NEW YORK) — A marketing professor at the University of California, Berkeley, was “murdered in cold blood” while visiting his children in Greece, according to his family.

Przemyslaw Jeziorski, an associate marketing professor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, was allegedly shot and killed in Athens on July 4 near the home where his two children — Zoe and Angelo — live, his younger brother Lukasz Jeziorski said in a statement. The children live with the victim’s ex-wife, according to ABC San Francisco station KGO.

His brother said there have not been any arrests in relation to the incident.

“I never thought something like this would happen to my family,” Lukasz Jeziorski said in a statement.

Lukasz Jeziorski told ABC News that his brother’s death “and the circumstances surrounding it are impossible to accept.”

The professor was allegedly in Greece to attend a child custody hearing, according to KGO. His brother told ABC News he wanted to bring his children to his hometown of Gdynia, Poland, “as he did every year,” and that he had also planned a trip to Disneyland Paris.

“He fought for them until the end,” his brother told ABC News.

Lukasz Jeziorski said he has “secured legal representation in Greece” and that the family will do “everything we can to ensure that justice is served.”

The victim’s father just passed away on June 4, with this incident — “another tragedy” — occurring exactly one month later, the professor’s brother said.

Przemyslaw Jeziorski, who had over 15 years of experience in research and teaching, earned the reputation as a “leading expert in quantitative marketing, industrial organization and applied microeconomics,” according to his faculty profile. His research made “a contribution to a variety of markets, including mobile money in Africa, sponsored search advertising, radio broadcasting, car insurance and breast cancer prevention,” his bio says.

He had “always wanted” to go to the United States and had “fulfilled” a dream of buying an apartment in San Francisco last year, his brother told ABC News.

Przemyslaw Jeziorski loved playing the guitar, sci-fi movies, traveling and was “very sociable,” his brother told ABC News.

UC Berkeley Haas Dean Jennifer Chatman said in a statement provided to KGO that the school is “heartbroken” by the news of Przemyslaw Jeziorski’s death and that he was a “beloved member of our marketing faculty and Haas community.”

“While authorities are investigating what happened, our focus is on supporting our community during this difficult period. My heart goes out to Przemek’s family and loved ones. We will miss him,” Chatman said in a statement.

The motive behind the incident remains unclear.

Hellenic Police — Greece’s national police service — did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.