A 26-year-old man has been arrested following the death of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, a Scottish woman whose body was found inside a suitcase in Athens. Greek police said the man, a foreigner, was arrested in connection with her death.
Ross's body was discovered on July 18 by a homeless man in a derelict building in the Kypseli area of Athens. She is believed to have died between five and seven days before that, though someone is reported to have used her mobile phone to send messages purporting to be from her.
Hellenic Police identified the victim using fingerprints. Ross, understood to be from Edinburgh, entered Greece on June 26 and initially stayed with friends in Piraeus. She is then said to have gone to meet American friends in another part of the Greek capital, but it is unclear if that meeting took place.
Arrest and confession
After examining video footage, the Hellenic Police identified the suspect, who confessed on Thursday. The 26-year-old is believed to have placed her body in a suitcase and taken it to the abandoned site. In the following days, he reportedly used her bank card to withdraw money.
A replica pistol and a knife were found at the suspect's home. Police have filed a case against him for manslaughter, robbery and violation of weapons laws.
Official response
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office 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.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland.”
