Greek police arrest man after Scottish woman's body found in suitcase

Greek police arrested a 26-year-old foreign national from Afghanistan on suspicion of manslaughter, robbery and weapons offences after identifying the body found in a suitcase in Athens as Elisabeth-Jane Ross, a 38-year-old from Edinburgh. Her remains were found in an abandoned building in the Kypseli area of central Athens on 18 July 2026.

A homeless man discovered the suitcase and alerted police, who later said Ross was believed to have died five to seven days before her body was found. That timeline became central to the investigation as officers worked to establish where she had been, how she died and who had handled her remains before they were left in the derelict property.

Greek authorities worked alongside Interpol and Police Scotland as the case crossed borders between Greece and Scotland. Police Scotland confirmed it was liaising with Greek authorities, reflecting the need to trace Ross’s final movements and piece together a sequence that stretched from Edinburgh to Athens. Investigators were also trying to determine whether foul play was involved.

Police fast-tracked tests to determine how Ross died, with the investigation focusing on the cause of death as well as the circumstances in which her body was concealed. Officers also examined whether Ross’s phone had been used after her death to send messages designed to mislead people searching for her, a line of inquiry that suggested deliberate attempts to divert attention.

Ross’s family described her as “beautiful” and “loving” as the identity of the victim became clear. The arrest, the forensic work and the coordination with UK counterparts left police facing a case that depended on rapid identification, digital tracing and international cooperation after a violent death abroad.