Authorities in Athens are pursuing inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, a 38-year-old Scottish charity worker whose body was discovered in a suitcase within an abandoned building last month. A 26-year-old Afghan national identified as Sharif Ahmadzai has been accused of intentional homicide following three days of police questioning. He is scheduled to appear before an investigating magistrate for formal charges on Wednesday.
According to George Kalliakmanis, honorary president of Athens’s police officers’ association, investigators are focused on determining the motive for the killing, particularly because Ahmadzai has consistently denied involvement in the homicide despite admitting to other actions. Police have documented that he confessed to transporting Ross’s body using a trolley to the site where it was discovered, with security camera footage confirming his movements on the night of 16 July. Additionally, he acknowledged withdrawing €10,000 from automated teller machines using credit cards belonging to the victim. However, he has maintained his denial of the murder itself, a position that law enforcement officials reject.
Investigators are examining two potential scenarios that may have preceded Ross’s death. One theory suggests a confrontation occurred when Ross discovered Ahmadzai searching through her belongings and attempting to steal her financial cards. The other possibility being considered involves either sexual assault or Ross rejecting unwanted advances. Forensic analysis indicates Ross was likely asphyxiated, though an initial postmortem examination proved inconclusive due to the advanced state of bodily decay. Additional toxicological testing and organ analysis are expected to clarify the exact cause of death in the coming days.
Ross had relocated to an apartment on 10 July after arriving in the capital from Edinburgh and initially staying with Greek acquaintances. Her final telephone communication occurred on the night of 15 July, with her body discovered three days later by a homeless individual in the Kypseli district. Following her death, her mobile device was used to send text messages to family members and acquaintances, with authorities characterizing these communications as deliberately misleading attempts to delay her being reported missing.
Ahmadzai, a professional lightweight boxer who came to Greece as a child refugee approximately ten years ago, had access to the residence through his role in building management and his involvement with a refugee advocacy organization called Love Every Nation. His spouse, Alaina Hall, a United States citizen and committed Christian, reportedly became suspicious of his activities and newfound wealth acquired through unauthorized card transactions and contacted authorities, subsequently providing police with cash he had given her. International collaboration involving the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Scottish law enforcement assisted in analyzing security footage from the surrounding area and financial transaction records.
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