Ambassador to Brazil murdered after he caught his wife with boyfriend (photo)

Greek ambassador Kyriakos Amiridis vanished without trace on Boxing Day, when he left the home of his wife's relatives in Rio de Janeiro and never returned

The Greek ambassador to Brazil whose body was found in a burnt-out car in Rio de Janeiro was murdered after finding his wife in bed with another man, police believe.

The charred remains of Kyriakos Amiridis, 59, were found on Wednesday underneath an overpass in the city, inside the car the diplomat had hired to spend Christmas and New Year with his wife's relatives.

His Brazilian wife Francoise Amiridis told police she was out shopping on Monday night when he phoned her at 8pm, saying he was going out, and never returned home.

But today police investigating the case claimed they believe his death was a "crime of passion" after he had discovered that his wife was having an affair with another man.

Investigators reportedly found blood stains in the apartment, which belongs to his wife, where the couple had been staying in the Nova Iguacu district of the city.

Police believe he was murdered in the apartment some time between Tuesday and Wednesday before his body was dumped in the hired car and set on fire yesterday morning.

The man Ms Amiridis was believed to have been having an affair with is reportedly a military police officer who works at a police base situated a local slum.

Investigators told Brazil's Extra newspaper that they believe Ms Amiridis may have paid a contract killer to murder her husband after he found out about their relationship.

Ms Amiridis, who is not yet under arrest, denies havin hands with the ambassador's death, claiming he never returned home on Monday, and didn't know why there was blood on the sofa.

Police are reportedly analysing the sofa, as well as CCTV images from the area.