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Family of Scots woman murdered in Greece speak of 'deep pain' as man appears in court

Elisabeth-Jane Ross was found dead in the Kypseli area of Athens last month.

[Elisabeth Jane Ross was found dead by a homeless man on July 18]

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Elisabeth Jane Ross was found dead by a homeless man on July 18(Image: Facebook)

The family of a Scots woman murdered in Greece have spoken of their deep pain following her death. Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, known as Lisa, was found dead by a homeless man in a derelict building in the Kypseli area of Athens on Saturday, July 18.

The missionary, known as Lisa, has been described by her loved ones as selfless, adding she dedicated her life to helping others in need. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, appeared in court in the Greek capital on suspicion of killing the aid worker, along with weapons offences and robbery charges.

Lisa had travelled to Greece from Edinburgh on Friday, June 26 and was initially staying with friends in Piraeus, a port area of Athens. Her family said: Lisa will always be remembered by us as kind, principled and selfless.

Her integrity was absolute, and she dedicated her life to helping others in need. We are in deep pain, and we ask for time and privacy as we come to terms with our loss.

[Ahmadzai topless with boxing medals]

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Ahmadzai is reportedly a professional boxer from Afghanistan who arrived in Greece in 2016

On Thursday, Ahmadzai - a professional boxer from Afghanistan - arrived at the Court of First Instance in Athens where he was detained on illegal weapons possession charges and a charge of homicide with intent. Ahmadzais lawyer Christos Erdos confirmed his client did not speak during Thursdays hearing.

He did not submit a plea in relation to any of the three charges he faces. It is understood he denies murder and claims he found Lisa already dead on the bathroom floor.

The court complex is located on the citys Evelpidon Street, a short walk from the derelict building where the charity workers body was found. Floral tributes have been placed on the ground next to the structure, with one card containing the words Elisabeth-Jane Ross. Rest in peace written in Greek.

Police said the suspect was detained for questioning after investigators reviewed surveillance camera footage recorded nearby. After allegedly killing Ms Ross, Ahmadzai is accused of sending a series of messages from her phone to her friends and family before switching off the device.

[Chilling CCTV footage allegedly shows Sharif Ahmadzai wheeling a black suitcase through Athens]

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Chilling CCTV footage allegedly shows Sharif Ahmadzai wheeling a black suitcase through Athens(Image: iefimerida.gr)

He is then said to have bought another phone and texted her friends in Athens, including his wife, impersonating an unnamed jihadist saying he had killed the Scot because of her religion, Greek newspapers Proto Thema and Ta Nea reported. The newspapers said his wife, a US citizen named Alaina Hall, told the police she suspected her husbands involvement in the killing when she woke up to find he was not in their apartment and tracked his phone to where Ms Ross was staying.

Ahmadzai's lawyer has also claimed that his have been violated. In a statement released to the media, Paraschis-Erdas and Associates said that a the leak of information and documents amounted to the violation.

The firm claimed that there were no injuries whatsoever and that there was a complete absence of any obvious cause of death.

The statement continued: His approach toward the prosecutorial and investigating authorities was therefore not one of refusal to cooperate, but rather one of reservation, so that he could provide a full statement once the case file had been completed with the above essential documents.

These documents had not been sought by the pre-trial investigating authorities. The sole objective is to establish the substantive truth, for the benefit of both sides.

Ms Ross is believed to have died a number of days before she was found, during which time temperatures reached 36C. Authorities were able to identify her using fingerprints.

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The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: Our thoughts are with Elisabeths 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.

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[The Daily Record]

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