A 26-year-old man accused of murdering a British woman whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in Athens has denied carrying out the killing, despite admitting he disposed of her remains.
The suspect appeared before an investigating magistrate on Wednesday to provide his statement after his arrest earlier this week. Greek police allege he is responsible for the death of 38-year-old Scottish national Elisabeth-Jane Ross, whose body was found on July 18 inside a suitcase abandoned in a derelict building in the Kypseli district of Athens.
According to investigators, Ross travelled to Greece on June 26 and stayed with a friend in Piraeus until July 10 before leaving for an unknown location in the greater Athens area. She was later reported missing.
Police say the suspect admitted placing Ross’s body inside a suitcase and transporting it to the abandoned building. However, he claimed she was already dead when he found her and denied any involvement in her death.
Authorities also allege the 26-year-old used the victim’s bank cards to withdraw cash in the days following her death.
He has been charged with intentional homicide, robbery and firearms offences.
Greek police said the investigation involved extensive forensic work despite the advanced decomposition of the body. Specialists were able to recover usable fingerprints, which were matched with assistance from Interpol authorities in the United States.
Investigators also received support from liaison officers with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and Police Scotland, helping to formally identify the victim and advance the investigation.
The case remains under judicial investigation as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding Ross’s death.