An Afghan man has been formally charged with the murder of a Scottish aid worker whose body was discovered concealed in a suitcase in Athens. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, was taken into custody on Sunday following the discovery of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, in an abandoned building in the Greek capital on July 18.

Ross, a father of one and operator of a Christian charity alongside his wife, was reported missing after last being seen following a Bible study meeting on July 12. Ahmadzai, originally from Afghanistan, has reportedly acknowledged disposing of her remains. The body was found after a homeless man alerted authorities to a foul odor emanating from the derelict site. Surveillance footage circulated by Greek media shows a man resembling Ahmadzai pushing a suitcase in Athens in the days preceding the body’s discovery.

According to the Greek state broadcaster ERT, Ahmadzai faces charges including intentional homicide, theft of more than €10,000, and possession of a weapon. Officials noted he did not respond to these allegations during initial proceedings. While Greek law restricts the naming of suspects without their consent, government sources have confirmed Ahmadzai’s identity and migrant status.

Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris stated that Ahmadzai entered Greece in 2016 as an unaccompanied minor and was granted protection status two years later. The minister also affirmed that prior to this incident, Ahmadzai had no criminal record.

Additional details emerged from the testimony of Ahmadzai’s wife, Alaina Hall, a U.S. national. Hall informed police that she had grown increasingly concerned over her husband’s behavior in the days before Ross’s disappearance. She reported that Ahmadzai tried to give her €2,550 in cash and a new iPhone 17 Pro, which she surrendered to police, suspecting the items had been purchased using Ross’s funds.

Hall recalled that Ross was last seen alive after a Bible study session, during which her husband and Ross remained alone. Ahmadzai reportedly told police his last interaction with Ross was on July 15, when she had invited him to accompany her to deliver a Bible. Hall's testimony indicated that Ahmadzai did not go with Ross; she cited a missed call and a text message from Ross to Ahmadzai found on his phone that read, “Thank you for your intention to come with me.” On the night of July 15, Hall said she woke around midnight to find her husband absent. Checking his phone location revealed he was at Ross’s apartment, and when she called him, he claimed he had only stopped briefly to use the lavatory.

Investigations into the circumstances surrounding Ross’s death are ongoing, as authorities continue to gather evidence and clarify the sequence of events that led to this tragic case.