A man arrested over the death of a Scottish woman whose remains were found bundled into a suitcase in Athens has been named and pictured.
Afghan Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is suspected of killing Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, before stuffing her body in a suitcase and dumping it in an abandoned building on July 16, according to reports.
The man, who is a champion boxer from Afghanistan, ran a refugee charity in the Greek capital, is understood to arrived in Lesvos in 2016 as a migrant, and later married US-born Alaina Hall in 2023.
The couple set up a ministry to help refugees in Athens and are believed to have known Elisabeth through their work. the Daily Mail reports. They had a key to the flat she was staying in – which was owned by their organisation, Love Every Nation Athens.
View 5 ImagesLisa Jane Ross(Image: Facebook)
It comes as initial medical reports suggest Elisabeth died from asphyxiation, according to The Times. An autopsy is currently underway with Lisa’s official cause of death unknown until toxicology reports are released.
Elisabeth Jane Ross, also known as Lisa, 38, was found dead inside a suitcase by a homeless man in an abandoned building in the district of Kypseli on Saturday, July 18.
Ahmadzai has since been arrested and charged in connection with Lisa’s death. Reports from local media state that he faces charges of intentional homicide, robbery and weapons offences. He reportedly confessed transporting Lisa’s body in the suitcase to cops.
View 5 ImagesSharif Ahmadzai, who is suspected of killing Elisabeth-Jane Ross
Investigators determined that Lisa, from Edinburgh, arrived in Greece in late June and stayed at several locations before renting a ground-floor apartment in Exarchia. The Daily Mail reports cops said the accused had access to her apartment through a set of keys. Lisa was last known to have contacted a friend three days before she was found dead.
Her loved ones then became concerned when they continued receiving text messages that appeared uncharacteristic of her writing style. Cops are then understood to have uncovered footage showing Ahmadzai transporting a large suitcase from the Exarchia apartment to the abandoned building in Kypseli on the night of July 16.
View 5 ImagesHer remains were discovered in an abandoned building(Image: cretalive.gr)
Minutes later, he was captured leaving the area carrying only a backpack. His wife Alaina is understood to have provided key evidence to the probe including a location-sharing application showed her husband at Lisa’s apartment during the night of July 15 and into July 16. After Lisa’s identity became public, she reportedly suspected Ahmadzai involvement and left their home with her child.
Alaina is understood to have handed cops a mobile phone and €2,550 in cash that she believed may have belonged to the victim. During questioning, Ahmadzai allegedly claimed he found Lisa dead in the apartment bathroom before placing her body in a suitcase and disposing of it the following night.
But police reportedly allege he later admitted to using the victim’s mobile phone to impersonate her in messages sent to relatives and friends, while also withdrawing money using her bank cards. A search of the suspect’s home on August 1 uncovered a replica Glock-style pistol and a military-style knife, leading to additional weapons charges.
View 5 ImagesThe suitcase was found on Evelpidon Street in the neighbourhood of Kypseli(Image: Google)
Ahmadzai’s website states his father, a military commander in Kabul, was shot dead in a Taliban ambush when he was four. His older brother was kidnapped by the Taliban five years later.
The rest of his family died in a suicide car bomb when he was 15, the website adds. Ahmadzai travelled to Greece in a small boat and went on to win the Greek super lightweight boxing title in March 2023.
Ahmadzai has been referred to the competent prosecuting authority to face the charges and is reportedly due to appear before magistrates in Athens on Wednesday.
Lead pastor of City on a Hill church in Edinburgh, Peter Anderson, has since paid heartfelt tribute to Lisa, who had been a member of the church for 20 years and “helped and cared” for people all over the world, reports STV.
He said: “We have lost a precious church member Lisa.
“She was a member of our church for 20 years, and a very precious, precious girl.
“It was a real tragic loss.”
Mr Anderson said Elisabeth possessed a “big passion for missions” and had travelled to several countries.
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