Athens, Greece -- Police say a Greek man has been detained for questioning in the killing of an American scientist on the island of Crete. Authorities said the 27-year-old man held Monday was one of 10 people interviewed over the weekend for the investigation of Suzanne Eaton's slaying. The man was brought in for questioning and he allegedly confessed a few hours later, CBS News has confirmed.

Eaton, a 59-year-old molecular biologist, was attending a conference on Crete when she went missing on July 2. Her body was found a week ago. A coroner has said her death resulted from a criminal act.

This undated photo provided by her family shows Suzanne Eaton, a 59-year-old molecular biologist. Uncredited / AP

Forensic pathologists who carried out the postmortem on Eaton told CBS News that Eaton died a slow death. Greek officials say Eaton was suffocated to death and then dumped in the dank, labyrinthine World War II-era bunker.

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Homicide detectives traveled from Athens to the island to head the investigation.

Eaton was from California but living and working in Germany when she was killed. She was the mother of two sons and married to a British scientist.