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Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is suspected of killing British charity worker Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, on July 16 before hiding her body in a suitcase in an abandoned house in the Kypseli district of Athens. Forensic reports confirm that Elisabeth died from asphyxiation, and Ahmadzai has been charged with manslaughter and robbery.
Sharif Ahmadzai has been charged with manslaughter, robbery, and weapon violations following his alleged confession during police interrogation. Greek authorities are investigating the use of Elisabeth Jane Ross’s phone to send misleading messages after her disappearance, raising concerns about the timeline of events leading to her death.
Greek authorities have charged Sharif Ahmadzai with manslaughter, robbery, and weapon violations following the suspected murder of British charity worker Elisabeth Jane Ross, whose body was found in a suitcase in Athens. The investigation is ongoing, with police examining messages allegedly sent from Ross’s phone to mislead individuals into believing she was still alive.
What remains unclear — It is not known why messages were sent from Elisabeth’s phone to create the impression she was still alive after her death.
Afghan boxer accused of killing British charity worker in Athens
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is suspected of killing Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, on July 18. (Picture: iefimerida.gr)
CCTV appears to show a boxer casually wheeling a suitcase allegedly carrying the dead body of a British charity worker.
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is suspected of killing Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, and dumping her in an abandoned Athens house on July 16.
The champion boxer appears to walk through town looking like a normal tourist with passersby failing to notice.
Around 13 minutes later he is spotted emerging from the derelict site without the suitcase and the rucksack.
Her remains were discovered by a homeless man hidden in an abandoned house wrapped in a bin bag and stuffed in a suitcase.
Afghan boxer Sharif Ahmadzai is accused of killing Elisabeth Jane Ross
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Forensic reports found Elisabeth died from asphyxiation.
During interrogation, Ahmadzai allegedly told detectives Elisabeth was dead when he found her. He claimed he only put her in a suitcase so he could steal her money without drawing suspicion.
Elisabeth Jane Ross is believed to have died from asphyxiation
Elisabeth had told friends she was going to stay with an American couple but then vanished.
Ahmadzai arrived in Lesvos in 2016, and later married American Alaina Hall in 2023. The couple worked together to help homeless people with their organisation Love Every Nation Athens through which they reportedly met Elisabeth.
Afghan boxer Sharif Ahmadzai married American Alaina Hall in 2023 (Picture: Marc Giddings)
His wife allegedly told Hellenic Police her husband went missing on the evening of July 15.
But when she checked his shared location it showed him at Elisabeth’s flat.
The couple allegedly had a key to the flat, which they owned, where the Scottish woman was staying.
Elisabeth Jane Ross, from Scotland, was found dead in the Kypseli district in Athens
Greek authorities remove body of Elisabeth Jane Ross from an abandoned building.
(Picture: Intime News/Athena Pictures)
Who is Sharif Ahmadzai?
(Picture: Marc Giddings)
Ahmadzai appears to be a champion boxer in Greece.
He claims his father, a military commander in Kabul, was killed in a Taliban ambush when he was only four.
He then travelled through Lesbos, Greece, via Pakistan, Iran and Turkey in 2016.
He met his wife while she was volunteering at the migrant camp where he worked as a translator. They have had a child together this year.
He has also written a book about his journey from Afghanistan to Athens titled: From Hell to Home.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘For years I’ve carried this story in silence. Now I’m ready to tell it.
‘A memoir about loss, exile, survival, and rebuilding a life when everything has been taken away.’
Greek police said a 26-year-old from Afghanistan confessed in police interrogation and has been charged with manslaughter, robbery and weapon violations.
A raid of the suspect’s home found a fake pistol and a knife.
Detectives believe someone was sending messages on Elisabeth’s phone to create the false impression that she was still alive. It was then switched off when the case began to garner international attention.
The texts claim she ‘needed some time to herself’ and that she ‘wanted to be alone for a while’, according to media outlets in the country.
Police told Greek media: ‘The phone was being used. Text messages were even sent obviously with a view to making people believe she was still alive.
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