Sharif Ahmadzai, a 26-year-old Afghan national and boxing champion in Greece, is accused of murdering 38-year-old British woman Elisabeth-Jane Ross in Athens. After the crime, he allegedly attempted to mislead the authorities by posing as a jihadist and claiming that the woman had been killed because of her Christian faith.
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Investigative documents and reports in the Greek media state that the victim, a British national from Scotland, was placed in a suitcase and left in an abandoned building in the Kypseli area.
Following the murder, investigators suspect that Ahmadzai used Elisabeth-Jane Ross’s phone to communicate with her family and friends through text messages. The device was subsequently switched off.
The 26-year-old is then suspected of purchasing another phone, which he used to contact several people, including his wife, while posing as an anonymous jihadist. The messages claimed that the 38-year-old had been killed because she was trying to spread Christianity.
Greek authorities regard this as an attempt to lead the investigation down a false trail and conceal the identity of the perpetrator.
Ahmadzai also faces allegations that he took the victim’s bank cards and withdrew thousands of euros from her accounts after killing her.
His American wife, Alaina Hall, played a significant role in bringing the case to light. The couple ran a nonprofit organization in Athens that provided assistance to refugees.
Hall became suspicious in the early hours of July 16, when she woke up and noticed that her husband was not at home. Using the Find My Friends tracking app, she discovered that Ahmadzai was near the victim’s apartment.
In her statement to investigators, Hall said that her husband had given her 2,550 euros and a new iPhone 17 Pro. She suspected that these had been obtained with money taken from Elisabeth-Jane Ross’s bank accounts.
According to the authorities, security cameras recorded a person resembling Ahmadzai on the streets of Kypseli, casually pushing a large suitcase near the area where the British woman’s body was later discovered.
Investigators believe that the suitcase contained the 38-year-old’s body. Other security footage shows the suspect using the victim’s cards to withdraw money from ATMs.
Sharif Ahmadzai is expected to appear before a court in Athens. He has been charged with murder, robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon.
British media report that he arrived in Greece in 2016 after traveling through Pakistan, Iran and Turkey. Ahmadzai met Alaina Hall at the Moria migrant camp, where she was working as a volunteer.
In 2017, he converted to Christianity, and in April 2023 he married Hall. The couple founded Love Every Nation, an organization dedicated to supporting refugees in Athens.
In addition to his work with the organization, Ahmadzai boxed professionally. In March, he won the Greek super lightweight championship title.
Through the sport, the 26-year-old also ran boxing classes, with the proceeds used to raise funds for the organization.
Elisabeth-Jane Ross had traveled to Athens on June 26 to take part in volunteer work with charitable organizations, a commitment she had pursued for years. Her body was discovered on July 18.
Her death has caused shock among volunteers and members of the City on a Hill church in Edinburgh, where Ross had been a member for around 20 years.
Pastor Peter Anderson said that Ross was a woman who had devoted her life to missionary work and supporting others. He described her loss as a profound tragedy for the entire community.
