By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian news Finland
Greek police have arrested a 26-year-old Afghan man suspected of murdering Elizabeth Ross, a Scottish aid worker whose body was found stuffed inside a suitcase in an abandoned Athens building.
The Elizabeth Ross murder case has drawn attention across Europe because of her years of volunteer work helping refugees and homeless people in Greece.
Ross, 38, lived in Edinburgh and had reportedly built ties with a Greek organization that supports refugees, including many arriving from Afghanistan and Iran. Investigators say she likely met the suspect through that volunteer work.
What Happened to Elizabeth Ross
Her body was discovered on July 18 in the central Athens neighborhood of Kypseli, reportedly by a homeless man who came across the abandoned building.
Authorities say the suspect tried to delay discovery of the crime by pretending to be Ross herself in the days that followed.
According to reports, he used her phone to message her relatives, telling them she needed time alone an attempt to make it look like she had simply gone quiet rather than been killed.
How Police Tracked the Suspect
The break in the case came through Ross’s own bank cards. Security cameras reportedly captured the suspect using her cards at several ATMs after her death, which investigators say helped lead them to him. He was arrested nearly two weeks after the body was found.
Greek prosecutors are expected to formally file charges. The exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed an initial examination found no clear signs of injury or a struggle, though the results were inconclusive, and authorities are still awaiting toxicology results and further tissue analysis.
Key Facts
- Victim: Elizabeth Jane Ross, 38, from Edinburgh, Scotland
- Body found: July 18, in a suitcase in Kypseli, Athens
- Suspect: A 26-year-old Afghan man, arrested nearly two weeks later
- Suspect allegedly used Ross’s phone and bank cards after her death
- Cause of death not yet confirmed; toxicology results pending
FAQs:
Who was Elizabeth Ross?
She was a 38-year-old Scottish aid worker from Edinburgh who volunteered in Greece helping refugees and homeless people.
When was her body found?
Her body was discovered on July 18 in an abandoned building in the Kypseli area of Athens.
Who is the suspect in the Elizabeth Ross murder?
Authorities in Greece have taken a 26-year-old man from Afghanistan into custody. Investigators believe the two crossed paths through Ross’s volunteer work with refugees, though as of now no formal charges have been filed against him.
How did police identify the suspect?
Investigators say surveillance footage showing him using Ross’s bank cards at ATMs helped lead to his arrest.
Has a cause of death been confirmed?
No. Initial examinations were inconclusive, and authorities are awaiting toxicology and tissue analysis results.
Elizabeth Ross’s Volunteer Work
Friends and colleagues have described Ross as someone devoted to helping vulnerable people.
A friend from Edinburgh told a British newspaper that Ross was full of innocence and kindness, and only wanted to help people wherever she went. Flowers and notes have reportedly been left outside the building where her body was found.
Elizabeth Ross murder
About The Author
