Afghan boxer arrested for murder of aid worker in Athens

A 26-year-old Afghan professional boxer is facing charges of manslaughter, robbery, and illegal weapon possession following the death of 38-year-old Scottish aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross. Ross had been reported missing since July 15, 2026. Her body, wrapped in black fabric, was discovered on July 18 inside a suitcase at an abandoned construction site in the Kypseli neighborhood of Athens.

Security camera footage has surfaced, allegedly showing the suspect dragging a large suitcase and carrying a backpack toward the abandoned building where the remains were found. The suspect, who arrived in Greece in 2016 as an unaccompanied minor and later became involved in refugee support work, was arrested on Sunday. While police point to the video evidence, the suspect denies the murder charge, claiming he discovered the woman's body in an apartment bathroom and panicked, deciding to dispose of it rather than report the death.

The victim was an aid worker who had collaborated with the suspect on social programs. A post-mortem examination was unable to confirm the exact cause of death due to advanced decomposition, though authorities have not ruled out asphyxiation. The suspect is scheduled to appear in court this Wednesday to formally respond to the charges brought against him.