The family of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, paid tribute to their ‘kind, principled and selfless’ daughter in their first comments since the British woman was found dead in a suitcase
The devastated family of a British woman found dead in a suitcase have told of their ‘deep pain’, after the man suspected of her murder appeared in court.
Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, known as Lisa, was discovered by a homeless man in a derelict building in Athens on July 18, several days after she was reported missing.
She had been carrying out charity work in Greece over the summer as a Christian aid worker. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, a boxer from Afghanistan, appeared in court on Thursday, where he was charged with robbery and weapons offences.
In their first statement since their daughter’s death, Lisa’s family said: “Lisa will always be remembered by us as kind, principled and selfless.
“Her integrity was absolute, and she dedicated her life to helping others in need. We are in deep pain, and we ask for time and privacy as we come to terms with our loss.”
Ahmadzai, a professional boxer from Afghanistan, appeared at the Court of First Instance in Athens where he was detained on illegal weapons possession charges and a charge of homicide with intent. He did not speak during Thursday’s hearing, and did not submit a plea in relation to any of the three charges he faces. He denies murder, according to local reports, and claims he found Lisa already dead on the bathroom floor.
Ahmadzai is said to have met Lisa through his American wife Alaina Hall, with whom he runs a charity named Love Every Nation. She allegedly told police she suspected her husband’s involvement in the killing when she woke up to find he was not in their flat, and tracked his phone to the complex where Ms Ross was staying.
Police said the suspect was detained for questioning after investigators reviewed CCTV footage recorded nearby. After allegedly killing Ms Ross, Ahmadzai is accused of sending a series of messages from her phone to her friends and family before turning it off.
He is then said to have bought another phone and texted her friends in Athens, including his wife, impersonating an unnamed jihadist saying he had killed her because of her religion. Ms Ross is believed to have died a number of days before she was found at an abandoned building in the Kypseli district of Athens, during which time temperatures reached 36C. Authorities were able to identify her using fingerprints.
Floral tributes have been placed on the ground next to the building, with one card containing the words “Elisabeth-Jane Ross. Rest in peace” written in Greek.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Elisabeth’s family during this difficult time. We are providing consular support and are in contact with the local authorities.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland.”
