Greek police have charged a 26-year-old Afghan national with the murder of Elisabeth Jane Ross, a 38-year-old British woman whose body was found inside a suitcase in Athens. The man, who reportedly confessed to the killing, is believed to have met Ms. Ross through her work assisting refugees and homeless individuals.
Ms. Ross, also known as Lisa, was discovered in an abandoned car park in the Kypseli district of Athens on July 18 by a homeless man. She had been visiting Greece for seven years, volunteering with organizations that provide support to refugees and vulnerable groups, including the One Heart organization which assists those from Afghanistan and Iran. Ms. Ross, a committed Christian, arrived in Athens on June 26 and was staying with friends in the suburb of Keratsini. She informed her friends on July 15 that she planned to visit American acquaintances in Kypseli, a more central part of Athens, and was found three days later.
Investigators tracked the suspect after he allegedly withdrew money using Ms. Ross’s bank cards following her death. Police also found fingerprint evidence on the suitcase and reviewed CCTV footage showing the man transporting it to the abandoned site. During searches of his residence, authorities seized a replica pistol and a knife, leading to his arrest for weapons offenses in addition to murder and robbery charges.
The suspect was detained on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Police stated that a criminal file has been opened against him for intentional homicide, robbery, and violations of weapons legislation. It is understood that the accused continued to send messages from Ms. Ross’s phone and posted on her Facebook page in an apparent attempt to conceal her death. A text sent from her mobile on July 15 to a Greek friend indicated she was going to a Greek island, and messages to her family suggested she needed time alone. Her phone was later switched off.
Ms. Ross's father, a lawyer from Edinburgh, reported receiving messages from her phone between July 15 and July 29.