An Afghan national accused of killing a British Christian in Athens has claimed he was persuaded by an unidentified elderly man to help dispose of the body and subsequently blackmailed into stealing the victim's money.
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, appeared in court Wednesday and presented his account of events surrounding the death of Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, on July 15. Ahmadzai told police in a statement on Saturday that he did not kill Ross, asserting that he discovered her deceased and then panicked.
"I never did harm to anyone. I want you to understand me and believe me. I was just in a panic," Ahmadzai stated, according to Greek news outlet Protothema. He described finding Ross on the bathroom floor of her apartment, seemingly spitting water and unresponsive.
According to Ahmadzai's statement, he left the apartment in distress and encountered an elderly man near a bus stop. He claims the man, who he later identified as potentially being named Nikos, advised him to remove the body from the house to avoid trouble, stating he had experience with hospitals. Ahmadzai said he returned to the apartment the following day and placed Ross's body into a black suitcase before putting it in the trunk of a car. He then drove to an abandoned building where he claims he met the elderly man again, who agreed to take the suitcase.
Ahmadzai also admitted to taking Ross's phone and bank cards, stating he sent messages to her contacts to reassure them she was alright. He claims he gave all the money withdrawn from Ross's cards to the elderly man, who he says was blackmailing him by threatening to report him to the police.
Ross, from Edinburgh, had been volunteering in Greece for seven years, assisting refugees and vulnerable individuals. She had arrived in Athens on June 26 and was volunteering with a Christian-based NGO working with refugees. CCTV footage reportedly shows Ahmadzai arriving at Ross's apartment on the evening of July 16 and later carrying a suitcase to a derelict site.
Ahmadzai converted to Christianity and married U.S.-born Christian Alaina Hall in 2023. They reportedly knew Ross through their volunteer work, and their organization, Love Every Nation Athens, owned the flat Ross was staying in, according to police sources. Ahmadzai's wife allegedly reported his suspicious behavior to the police on July 30, after noticing he was missing on the evening of July 15 and his shared location data showed him at Ross's apartment. She became suspicious when Ross's body was found and subsequently handed over cash and a new iPhone her husband gave her to the police, believing they were purchased with Ross's money.
Investigators also found a replica Glock-style pistol and a military-style knife at the couple's home. Police sources previously indicated that Ahmadzai had told his wife he was angered by Ross's attempts to influence him towards a stricter form of Christianity. His arrest occurred shortly after Ross's phone, which had been off for days, was turned on and traced to his location in Athens.
Ahmadzai faces charges including intentional homicide, robbery, and weapons offenses. He is expected to be remanded in custody and face trial within the next 18 months.