An Afghan boxer who reportedly converted to Christianity has been arrested following the death of a Scottish missionary volunteer in Greece.
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, was arrested on suspicion of homicide with intent, robbery and weapons offences after the body of 38-year-old Elisabeth Jane Ross was found inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens' Kypseli district on 18 July, several days after she was reported missing.
Known to her family as Lisa, Ross was from Edinburgh and regularly travelled to Greece to volunteer with non-governmental organisations, supporting refugee centres and abused women.
She had arrived in Greece on 26th June and was staying in the Keratsini area near Athens. After telling friends she was going to visit American acquaintances, she disappeared. Police are still trying to identify the people she had planned to meet.
Ross and Ahmadzai both worked with refugees, and Greek police are investigating whether the pair knew each other through the charity sector, the BBC reported.
Police said that although the exact cause of death has not yet been confirmed by the coroner, further investigations indicated Ross died as the result of an "obvious criminal act, likely asphyxiation".
According to reports, Ahmadzai was orphaned at the age of 15 after his father, an Afghan army commander, was shot dead and his mother and siblings were killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul. He later fled Afghanistan via Iran and Turkey before settling in Greece, where he met his American wife, Alaina Hall, and reportedly converted to Christianity in 2017.
The president of the Union of Police Officers of Southeast Attica, George Kalliakmanis, told the BBC it was "possible" that Ross and Ahmadzai had crossed paths through their work.
"He claims he found her dead in the bathroom and panicked, fearing he would be blamed," Kalliakmanis said.
Police allege Ahmadzai stole Ross's bank card and mobile phone and "made sure" to send text messages to her family and friends to "make it seem like she was still alive".
Kalliakmanis said investigators also believe Ahmadzai used the bank card to withdraw "around €10,000".
He added that Ahmadzai's wife reportedly had no involvement in, or prior knowledge of, the alleged offences. Previous reports said she provided "crucial" evidence to investigators.
Pastor Peter Anderson said Ross had been a "precious" member of City on a Hill Church for two decades.
"She had been to many places and served people. She was a very precious girl and it is a tragic loss," he said in a video, adding that Ross had a "big passion" for missionary work and "cared for people all over the world".
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding Ross's death are continuing.
