Forensic tests on Scottish aid worker's death in Greece delayed by a month
Greek authorities say it will take at least another month to receive autopsy and toxicology results in the case of Elisabeth Ross, whose body was found in a suitcase in Athens.
Greek officials announced that the forensic analysis needed to determine how 38-year-old Scottish aid worker Elisabeth Ross died will be delayed by at least a month. Ross’s body was discovered on 18 July in a suitcase by a homeless man in a derelict building in Athens’s Kypseli district.
Afghan national Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, has been charged with homicide with intent, robbery and illegal weapons possession. Police say he allegedly stole more than €10,000 from Ross’s bank accounts and used her phone to send messages to friends and family before turning it off.
The initial coroner’s report listed the cause of death as undetermined, noting no external injuries. A subsequent autopsy suggested asphyxiation as the probable cause. Ahmadzai’s lawyer has requested that the full forensic, toxicological and histological reports be included in the case file.
Ahmadzai remains in custody pending a trial that could last up to 18 months. He has denied the homicide charge but admits moving the body, claiming he did so out of fear of being blamed. Police say his American wife reported suspicions of his involvement after noticing his absence and tracking his phone to the location where Ross was staying.