Homeless Man Sought After British Woman Found in Suitcase in Athens

The remains of Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, from Edinburgh, were discovered at about 1pm on July 18 by a rough sleeper on Evelpidon Street in the Kypseli district of Athens. Greek authorities confirmed that Ross, also known as Lisa, had been dead for around eight days and showed no visible injuries or obvious signs of a struggle.

Manhunt for Markos

A homeless man has been named as a "prime suspect" in the police investigation, according to reports. Greek officers are urgently seeking a man known as Markos, who is familiar with the Kypseli area, as reported by the Daily Mail. Markos regularly slept in the abandoned property where the suitcase was found, but has not been seen since the area was declared a crime scene, prompting a city-wide manhunt. Reports in the Daily Record say police have focused their attention on Markos, described as a heavy drinker and drug user with a reputation for aggressive and threatening behaviour, particularly towards women.Hamid Reza, a 67-year-old homeless man from Iran living in a makeshift shelter near the discovery site, said officers told him Markos is their number one suspect. He told the Daily Mail: "They want to find and question him very quickly. They have been asking a lot of people and driving around the area looking for him." He added: "Everybody knows that Markos carries a knife, and local women are scared of him. He was always around this area, even living in the car park, but nobody has seen him since the body was discovered." Markos is described as about 40 years old and heavily tattooed.A Greek police source confirmed detectives are examining his potential involvement, though stressed the information only emerged in recent days and had not been reported at the time. The source said: "We have a lead on a homeless man. We want to question a particular individual. But we are also looking for a number of other people as part of this investigation."

Final movements and phone messages

Ross travelled from the US to Greece via Cyprus on June 29. Officers are working to establish her final movements and speak with anyone who had contact with her before her death. Authorities say messages were sent from her mobile phone in the days after she died, continuing until she was identified by the media. Her father, from Edinburgh, is believed to have received these messages between July 15 and 29. A Greek officer revealed the phone, which remains missing, was "being used to make people believe she was still alive."Investigators established Ross had been staying with Greek friends in Keratsini, who have been cleared of any wrongdoing. She told them on July 15 she was leaving to stay with Americans she knew in Kypseli. However, officers are now questioning whether those American friends exist, as they have not been traced. A police spokesman said: "We do not yet know who the people she visited (in Kypseli) are, nor whether they are Americans or if they even exist. We are trying to find out where she went and who she stayed with."

Identification and investigation

Officers could not identify Ross at the scene because she was carrying no identification. She was believed to be around 30 years old, 5ft 4in tall, with reddish hair tied in a bun, wearing black shorts bearing a French university insignia and a T-shirt. A rough sleeper found her body after following a foul smell inside the derelict property, which had stood empty for two years, and spotting a human limb visible from outside a suitcase.An autopsy is due to be carried out. Greek authorities have asked Interpol and US investigators to assist with the probe. On Monday, Interpol informed the Hellenic Police that DNA testing showed the body belonged to a British woman. Police Scotland are working alongside Greek authorities and offering assistance to Ross's family in Scotland. No official suspect has been named. A force spokesperson said: "We are aware of the death of Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland."A UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with Elisabeth's family during this difficult time. We are providing consular support and are in contact with the local authorities."