An Afghan migrant accused of murdering a Scottish woman found dead in a suitcase in Greece dreamed of coming to the UK, a video has revealed.
Accused's journey to Greece
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, a professional boxer, was arrested and charged in connection with the murder of 38-year-old Elisabeth-Jane Ross in Athens on July 15. The Christian charity worker, from Edinburgh, was found dead inside a suitcase in a derelict building.
Investigators have not confirmed a motive, but they are understood to be looking at several possibilities, including that she may have rejected his advances.
Ahmadzai, also known as David, originally from East Afghanistan, fled conflict and sought asylum at age 15. His father, a commander in the national army, was killed in an ambush. After his mother and siblings died in a suicide bombing in Kabul, he journeyed through Iran, was jailed for three days, and then was placed on a dinghy by smugglers to reach Greece, where he was housed in a migrant camp on Lesbos.
In a Red Cross video from years ago, Ahmadzai's words, voiced by an actor, reveal his dream: "I have an aunt in the United Kingdom. She told me, 'I can take full responsibility of you, if someone helps you get to the UK'. But, if I can't get there, I don't know what will happen to me."
Investigation and family doubts
George Kalliakmanis, an ex-cop who heads the police union in Athens, said nothing is ruled out. He told The Sun: "He went to the flat where she was staying for a reason and it's not thought that reason is because he wanted to commit robbery and steal her cards. What was it? Nothing can be ruled out. Did she reject him? Nothing can be ruled out."
Ahmadzai converted to Christianity and married US citizen Alaina Hall, 28, in 2023. They set up a ministry for refugees in Athens and had a child together. Hall's aunt Leanne Hall, brother Thomas, 65, and sister-in-law Susan, 61, told the Daily Mail they had doubts: "I've never met him, I've only heard about him. But I can tell you my brother and sister-in-law never wanted them to get married."
CCTV and online posts
Chilling CCTV footage shows Ahmadzai allegedly dragging the suitcase containing Ross's body through Athens streets. He later appears without it.
Ahmadzai, due in court tomorrow, had posted hate-filled messages about Christian aid workers in the weeks before the incident. In a May Facebook post, he wrote: "Shame on corruption dressed like charity. Shame on business wearing the name of Christ." He had written a memoir, From Hell to Home, with a chapter titled "corrupt NGOs".
Police confirmed Ahmadzai and Hall had a key to the flat where Ross was staying, as it was owned by their charity. His wife reported his suspicious behavior on July 30 after noticing he wasn't home on the evening of July 15 and his shared location showed him at Ross's apartment. Ahmadzai allegedly told cops he found Ross already dead in her bathroom, admitted using her bank cards, and used her phone to send messages pretending to be her.
His wife left the family home with their baby after Ross's body was found. She gave police €2,550 and a new Apple iPhone 17 Pro, believing they were bought with Ross's money. Detectives raided the home on August 1 and found a black metal replica Glock-style pistol and a black military-style knife.
Ross had volunteered in Greece for seven years, helping refugees and homeless people. She arrived in Athens on June 26 and was last seen alive at 9.41pm on July 15, when she called a close friend.
