A 26-year-old boxer, Sharif Ahmadzai, has been identified as the main suspect in the case involving the death of Elisabeth Jane Ross, a 38-year-old British woman from Edinburgh, whose body was found in a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens. Ahmadzai allegedly used Elisabeth’s bank card to withdraw money from her account and sent text messages from her phone to deceive her relatives after the incident.
Ahmadzai, who won a super lightweight boxing title in Greece earlier this year, was pictured holding a belt from the Professional Boxing Federation of Greece. He arrived in Lesvos in 2016 and later married Alaina Hall in 2023. The couple, along with Ms. Ross, were involved in charity work to assist homeless individuals and refugees in Athens.
Following Elisabeth’s death, concerns were raised by Ms. Hall about Ahmadzai’s behavior. She reported to the police that he went missing on the night of July 15, with location tracking data allegedly placing him at Elisabeth’s residence, which the couple had access to. Ahmadzai attempted to give his wife a large sum of money and a new iPhone, suspected to be purchased with her funds, before the police intervened.
During a search of Ahmadzai’s residence, authorities discovered a replica pistol and a military-style knife. Ahmadzai claimed that Elisabeth was already deceased when he found her and stated that he placed her in a suitcase to avoid detection while stealing her money.
Ahmadzai has been arrested and charged with intentional homicide, robbery, and weapon-related offenses in connection with Ms. Ross’s death. The Hellenic Police collaborated with authorities from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Scotland in the investigation.