An Afghan national, who came to the West as a child refugee, has been charged with the murder of Scottish aid worker Elizabeth Jane Ross in Athens.
Ross (38), who hailed from Edinburgh, was a Christian aid worker who had moved to Greece to help migrants.
Her body was discovered in a suitcase, which had been left in an abandoned building in Kypseli, on the 18th of July last.
The discovery was made by a homeless man who became aware of an offensive odour in the building.
Police believe the suspect, Sharif Ahmadzai (26), murdered Ross before stuffing her inside the case and using her mobile phone to send messages to her friends and family to make it appear as though she was still alive.
One of the messages believed to have been sent to her father after her death said, “I need some quiet time, I want to be alone.”
Ahmadzai, who is a boxer, came to Greece as a teenager and converted to Christianity before marrying a US national and co-founding a charity called ‘Love Every Nation’ aimed at helping migrants.
On the 16th of July, police reviewed CCTV footage of the suspect leaving the apartment Ross was staying in, wheeling a large suitcase.
The accused was managing the apartment, which was used as part of his migrant solidarity group.
Ross, a friend of his wife who had similar religious views, had moved to the apartment to work with ‘Love Every Nation’.
After her death, large sums of money were withdrawn from her bank account, which police allege was done by Ahmadzai.
It was reported that his wife, Alaina Ahmadzai (nee Hall), became suspicious after her husband purchased her a new phone and seemed to have unexplained newfound wealth.
Hall told investigators that messages she had received from Ross had made her fearful that she had been murdered, as they were not reflective of native English and the tone was unlike that of her friend.
Prosecutors believe that Ross died from asphyxiation.
Ahmadzai is charged with homicide with intent, robbery, and weapons charges. He has been remanded in custody to await trial.