A close friend of a woman from Scotland, whose body was discovered in a suitcase in Athens, shared her concerns about the missing person. Sharif Ahmadzai, an Afghan boxer, has been accused of intentionally causing the death of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, whose body was found by a homeless individual in a rundown building in the Kypseli district of the Greek capital on July 18.
The accused arrived at the Court of First Instance in Athens this morning around 10:40 am local time, arriving in a gray Hyundai car with tinted windows. Reports from Greece indicate that Alaina Hall, the wife of the defendant, informed the police about her growing worries when she didn’t hear back from her friend in July.
Hall, who was acquainted with the victim, mentioned that they had first met in February through charitable work and religious gatherings. Her last interaction with Ross was on July 12, and after receiving no response to a text message sent six days later, she inquired with Ahmadzai. He claimed their last contact was on July 15 when Ross supposedly requested his company to deliver a bible.
Concern heightened for Hall on the night of July 15 when she noticed her husband missing at midnight. After tracking his location on her phone and finding him at an unexpected address, she became alarmed. Ahmadzai confessed to visiting Elisabeth’s residence on July 15, as supported by Hall’s phone records.
Upon learning of Ross’s disappearance and subsequent discovery of a body, Hall started connecting the dots. She attempted to reach out to Ross through text messages, noticing unusual replies contrary to Ross’s usual style. Feeling uneasy about the circumstances, Hall expressed her concerns to the authorities.
Following the identification of the body as Ross’s, Hall and her husband fled their residence out of fear, receiving threatening messages with images of herself and her child, believed to be sent by Ahmadzai to divert suspicion. Initially detained for illegal possession of weapons, Ahmadzai now faces charges of intentional homicide and alleged theft of over 10,000 euros from Ross’s bank accounts using her cards.
While Ahmadzai admitted to moving the body, he denied the homicide accusations. During a recent hearing, his lawyer confirmed his client’s silence and lack of response to the charges. Ahmadzai was ordered to remain in pre-trial detention for further evidence collection, pending a future hearing date.
Authorities apprehended the suspect after reviewing surveillance footage near the location of the body’s discovery, determining Ross had passed away several days before being found. Identified through fingerprints, Ross, believed to be from Edinburgh, entered Greece on June 26, initially staying with friends in Piraeus.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office expressed condolences to Ross’s family and assured consular support, staying in touch with local authorities. Police Scotland is collaborating with Greek authorities and providing assistance to Ross’s family in Scotland.