The high-profile investigation into the murder of a Scottish aid worker in Athens advanced as the primary suspect appeared in court under heavy security.
Kabul 24: Sharif Ahmadzai, a 26-year-old Afghan national identified in Greek media as a boxer, faced a judge in Athens to answer charges of murder and theft, though Greek authorities have not yet officially confirmed his identity.
The victim, 38-year-old Elizabeth-Jane Ross from Edinburgh, Scotland, was found dead inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in the Kipseli district of Athens.
The gruesome discovery was made by a homeless man. The suspect was initially detained on illegal weapons charges, but prosecutors escalated the case to include murder and robbery following the discovery of new evidence.
Surveillance footage from cameras near the abandoned building played a crucial role in identifying and tracking down the suspect. According to police reports, the suspect withdrew more than €10,000 using Ross’s bank cards following her death.
While Ahmadzai admitted to moving and concealing the victim’s body inside the suitcase, he has denied any direct involvement in her killing.
Technical investigations revealed extensive attempts to cover up the crime. Police state that after Ross’s death, the suspect used her phone to text her friends and family before turning the device off.
He later purchased a new phone and impersonated someone else to send messages to Ross’s associates and his own wife, falsely claiming responsibility for the murder on religious grounds. Suspicions grew when the suspect failed to return home, leading his wife to track the location of the apartment where Ross was last seen staying.
The preliminary hearing took place behind closed doors, with a public defender appointed for the suspect. Greek police emphasized that the comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder remains ongoing.
