An Afghan migrant accused of murdering British volunteer Elisabeth-Jane Ross in Greece allegedly used a burner phone to send messages to friends and his wife, claiming to be a jihadist who killed her because of her Christian faith. The suspect, Sharif Ahmadzai, reportedly denied the murder during police interviews, stating he found Ms. Ross already deceased in an apartment.
Ahmadzai, who arrived in Greece in 2016 as an unaccompanied minor, is scheduled to appear in court in Athens. He later converted to Christianity and married U.S. citizen Alaina Hall in 2023. The couple met while working at a refugee ministry in Athens and have a child together.
Greek authorities are investigating two potential motives for the alleged murder: a confrontation stemming from an attempted robbery or a sexual assault. Ahmadzai has reportedly admitted to moving Ms. Ross's body in a suitcase to an abandoned building and using her bank cards to withdraw funds. He also allegedly sent messages from her phone to acquaintances, including his wife, falsely portraying himself as Ms. Ross and claiming she needed time alone.
Ms. Ross, from Edinburgh, was in Athens since late June volunteering with refugee groups. Her body was discovered on July 18 in the Kypseli area of Athens by a homeless individual, three days after she was reported missing. Ahmadzai was arrested on July 22, following the emergence of CCTV footage that allegedly shows him leaving his apartment with a suitcase and later discarding it near where Ms. Ross's remains were found.
His wife, Alaina Hall, alerted authorities on July 30 after becoming suspicious of his behavior. She reportedly woke to find him missing from their home on July 15 and, using a location-sharing app, saw he was at Ms. Ross's apartment. Ms. Hall became more concerned when Ms. Ross's body was found and reportedly provided police with 2,550 euros and a new iPhone her husband had given her, believing the items were purchased with Ms. Ross's money.
Ahmadzai, a professional boxer, arrived in Greece at age 16, taught himself English, and became involved with humanitarian organizations. He met Hall, who was volunteering at the same center, converted to Christianity, and moved to Athens. They founded a refugee ministry, Love Every Nation Athens, and married in April 2023.
Police sources indicated that Ahmadzai had expressed anger towards Ms. Ross, stating she was trying to influence him religiously, which he found overwhelming. Ms. Ross, also a Christian volunteer, had been a regular visitor to Greece for seven years, assisting NGOs. She had been staying in Athens since June 26, initially with friends before moving to Rethymnou Street on July 2.