Greek police have arrested 26-year-old Sharif Ahmadzai on suspicion of killing Scottish aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross after her body was found in a suitcase in Athens. Forensic tests indicate the death was an "obvious criminal act, likely asphyxiation." Investigators say CCTV, location-sharing data and ATM withdrawals link Ahmadzai to the scene; he denies murder but admits moving the body. Police say the suspect's wife is not implicated and inquiries, including tracing the American friends Ross planned to meet, are ongoing.
Afghan Boxer Arrested After Scottish Aid Worker Found Dead In Suitcase In Athens
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, has been arrested in connection with the death of Elisabeth Jane Ross, known to friends as Lisa [BBC]
Greek police have arrested 26-year-old Sharif Ahmadzai after the body of 38-year-old Scottish aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross was found inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in the Kypseli district of Athens on 18 July. Ross, from Edinburgh and known to family and friends as Lisa, had been volunteering with a refugee support group in Athens.
Allegations, Forensics and Evidence
Police say Ahmadzai has been arrested on suspicion of homicide with intent, robbery and weapons offences and is due to appear in an Athens court. An initial coroner's report did not identify a cause of death, but further forensic examinations concluded the death was an "obvious criminal act, likely asphyxiation." Investigators say CCTV appears to show Ahmadzai carrying a suitcase believed to contain the body, and location-sharing data linked him to 9 Rethymnou Street, where Ross is thought to have died.
This photo of Elisabeth Jane Ross - known by friends as Lisa - is believed to date from 2015 [Facebook]
Suspect's Account and Allegations of Fraud
According to police statements, Ahmadzai denied murder but admitted he moved the body, saying he found Ross dead in a bathroom and panicked. Authorities allege the suspect used the victim's bank cards to withdraw money, with transactions reported to total around €10,000, and that he sent messages from her phone to family and friends to create the impression she was still alive.
Backgrounds And Investigations
Ahmadzai, who was born in Afghanistan and left the country after being orphaned at about 15, is a former champion boxer who settled in Greece after travelling via Iran and Turkey and living in a refugee camp on Lesbos. He met his American wife, Alaina Hall, on Lesbos; the couple have a child and helped establish the charity Love Every Nation Athens. Police say his wife has not been implicated and they believe she had no prior knowledge of the alleged crime.
[BBC]
Ross arrived in Greece on 26 June and stayed in the Kertasini area of Piraeus until 10 July. She told friends on 15 July she planned to go to Kypseli to meet "American friends." Her body was discovered on 18 July about 20 minutes’ walk from where she had been staying.
Police Action And Next Steps
Officers searching Ahmadzai's home reportedly recovered a replica pistol and a knife. Investigators are also tracing the American friends Ross intended to meet and reviewing CCTV, phone and financial records as the case progresses through the Greek legal system. Local tributes have been left near the scene, and Ross's church community in Edinburgh has paid tribute to her long-standing missionary work.
Additional reporting: Daphne Toli in Athens and Georgina Hayes in Scotland.
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