A UC Berkeley business professor was shot and killed by a masked gunman in Greece on July 4 while visiting his children during a custody dispute, according to multiple reports.
Przemyslaw Jeziorski, 43, an associate professor of marketing at the Haas School of Business, was fatally shot five times at close range in the chest and neck near his ex-wife’s home in Agia Paraskevi, a suburb of Athens. The gunman, described by witnesses as a tall man with an athletic build, fled the scene on foot and remains at large.
The Polish-born professor, known to colleagues and friends as “Przemek” or “PJ,” had traveled to Greece to attend a child custody hearing regarding his two children, according to family members and colleagues. His ex-wife had returned to Greece following their divorce six years ago.
Jeziorski had been living in San Francisco and regularly traveled to Greece during summer months to visit his children and bring them to see his family in his native Poland. Close friend Chemtai Mungo indicated that he had been in Greece for a custody hearing and had faced challenges trying to reach an agreement with his ex-wife.
The professor’s death occurred approximately one month after his father passed away in Poland, adding to the family’s grief. His brother, Lukasz Jeziorski, described the circumstances as impossible to accept and noted that the death occurred during what should have been a joyful time, as Przemyslaw had planned to take his children to Disneyland in Paris and bring them to their hometown of Gdynia, Poland.
Haas School of Business Dean Jennifer Chatman expressed the university community’s shock at the news. Chatman stated, “We are heartbroken by news of the tragic and sudden death.” She emphasized that while authorities investigate the circumstances, the university’s focus remains on supporting the community during this difficult period.
Jeziorski joined the UC Berkeley faculty as an assistant professor of marketing in 2012 and had held the Egon & Joan Von Kaschnitz Distinguished Professorship Chair in Business Administration since 2018. His academic background included studies at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, the University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, and Stanford University, where he earned his Ph.D. in economics.
The professor’s research focused on quantitative marketing, industrial organization, antitrust and regulation, digital marketing, and financial technology. His work appeared in prestigious academic journals including Marketing Science, Management Science, and the RAND Journal of Economics. Throughout his career at Berkeley, he mentored more than 1,500 MBA and Ph.D. students, teaching courses such as Marketing Analytics and Choice Models.
Beyond his academic pursuits, Jeziorski co-founded Keybee, a startup that manages short-term rental properties on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo. Colleague Zsolt Katona described him as an outstanding scholar whose research at the intersection of marketing and economics led developments in areas ranging from mergers and acquisitions to search advertising and mobile money.
Family members and friends remembered Jeziorski as a devoted father who centered his life around his 10-year-old twins. Mungo recalled how he taught his children to code video games, transforming their interest in gaming into an intellectual learning experience. His younger brother described their close relationship, noting they understood each other without words and shared interests in metal music, science fiction movies, and travel.
The professor had recently fulfilled a long-held dream of purchasing an apartment in San Francisco, and his mother and brother had planned to visit him this year. Lukasz Jeziorski described his brother as family-oriented, friendly, and someone who never refused to help others.
Greek authorities continue investigating the murder, with no arrests made. The victim’s ex-wife told police she did not know of anyone who would want to harm Jeziorski. The family has established a fundraising campaign through the European crowdfunding platform WhyDonate to support legal efforts in Greece, Poland, and the United States, as well as to help repatriate his remains to Poland.
Lukasz Jeziorski emphasized that the family remains heartbroken and committed to ensuring justice is served. The university has not yet announced official memorial plans, though colleagues indicated they hope to organize a tribute when the fall semester begins.
