The family of an American woman who married the Afghan migrant accused of murdering a British charity worker in Athens had reservations about the union, according to the woman's aunt. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, was arrested in connection with the alleged murder of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, whose body was discovered in a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens.
Alaina Hall, 28, of Ringgold, Georgia, met Ahmadzai in 2016 on the Greek island of Lesvos after he arrived on a migrant boat. The couple, who reportedly have a child together, married in 2023. Hall and Ahmadzai had previously established a ministry for refugees in Athens. Ahmadzai had converted to Christianity before their marriage.
Leanne Hall, the paternal aunt of Alaina Hall, told the Daily Mail that her brother, Thomas Hall, 65, and his wife, Susan, 61, never supported the marriage. "I've never met [Ahmadzai], I've only heard about him. But I can tell you my brother and sister-in-law never wanted them to marry," Leanne Hall stated.
Greek authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding Ross's death. Law enforcement officials believe Ahmadzai may have encountered Ross during an attempted mugging or a potential sexual assault. "We believe there was a confrontation," a law enforcement source told the Daily Mail. "But was that spurred by Ross discovering the Afghan rummaging through her things and stealing her credit cards, or was it a case of sexual assault or the Briton spurning his advances?" the source added.