“The Angel” Who Helped Refugees in Greece Was Killed by a Migrant — Her Body Was Hidden in a Suitcase
The body of 38-year-old Elizabeth Jane Ross, a Scottish volunteer who assisted refugees and the homeless in Greece, was discovered in an abandoned Athens building on July 18. A 26-year-old Afghan national was arrested nearly two weeks later after being caught on CCTV using the victim's credit cards. Investigators believe he also impersonated Ross in text messages to her father to delay the discovery of the crime.
Greek police have arrested a 26-year-old Afghan national on suspicion of murdering 38-year-old Scottish volunteer Elizabeth Jane Ross. Her body was discovered on July 18 by a homeless person inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens.
The suspect was apprehended last Thursday, nearly two weeks after the body was found, following security camera footage that showed him using Ross’s credit cards at several ATMs.
Ross, an Edinburgh resident, had spent the last seven years volunteering in Greece, assisting refugees from Afghanistan and Iran. She arrived in the country on June 26. According to the BBC, she had told acquaintances she planned to meet friends in the Kifissia neighborhood of Athens on July 15. Investigators believe the body was hidden in the abandoned building no earlier than July 16.
Upon his arrest at an apartment in central Athens, police seized a knife and a replica handgun. Authorities suspect that the perpetrator attempted to cover his tracks by sending messages from Ross’s phone to her family, including her father, claiming she needed “time alone.” These messages ceased only one day before the suspect’s arrest.
The exact circumstances of the murder remain under investigation. An initial examination of the body did not reveal clear signs of trauma or a struggle, and authorities are currently awaiting toxicology results to determine the cause of death. Reports suggest the suspect may have known Ross through her aid work.
Flowers and notes have been left near the site where the body was found. One note reads: “Here rests an angel.” Friends have described Ross as a devout and selfless individual who dedicated her life to helping those in need worldwide, including Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan region.
