A man has appeared in court in Athens charged with the killing of a Scottish charity worker whose body was found in a suitcase in the Greek capital. The suspect, widely reported as 26-year-old Sharif Ahmadzai, appeared at a private hearing on August 5, accompanied by police officers, before being released shortly afterward. He is set to return to court for a further hearing.

The victim, Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, originally from Edinburgh and known as Lisa, was discovered on July 18 by a homeless man inside a derelict building in the Kypseli district of Athens. Ross was volunteering for a refugee charity at the time of her death. She is believed to have been in Greece since late June, initially staying with friends near the port area of Piraeus before moving elsewhere in the city. Identification was confirmed through fingerprint analysis, and preliminary medical findings suggest suffocation as a possible cause of death, pending further tissue tests.

Ahmadzai, described in multiple reports as an Afghan-born former boxer who left his home country as a teenager, was initially detained on weapons possession charges but now faces accusations of homicide with intent, equivalent to a murder charge in the UK. Greek authorities also allege that he stole more than 10,000 euros from Ross’s bank accounts using her cards. Ahmadzai has reportedly admitted to moving the body but denies responsibility for her death.

CCTV footage released in recent days has shown a man pushing a large suitcase through central Athens, tracing the route to the abandoned building where Ross’s body was found. Investigators believe the footage depicts the suspect disposing of the body. Additionally, it is alleged that messages were sent from Ross’s phone after her death. These texts, which raised concern among her friends and family for not matching her writing style, were reportedly taken over by the accused. Reports indicate that Ahmadzai sent messages from another phone, impersonating a jihadist who claimed responsibility for the killing on religious grounds, though these claims have not been independently verified.

Ahmadzai is married to an American woman, Alaina Hall, who reportedly alerted police after noticing his absence and tracking his phone to the vicinity of Ross’s accommodation. Authorities are continuing their investigation.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has expressed condolences to Ross’s family and confirmed that consular support is being provided. Police Scotland is also involved, assisting the family and coordinating with Greek officials.

The suspect remains in custody as proceedings continue. The court hearings are anticipated to clarify further details surrounding the case.