Man arrested over death of British woman found in suitcase in Athens

A 26-year-old man has been apprehended by Greek authorities in relation to the homicide of a British national whose remains were discovered in a suitcase within an abandoned structure in Athens in July. The Directorate for Combating Organized Crime confirmed the arrest on Sunday. The deceased, identified as 38-year-old Elisabeth-Jane Ross from Scotland, was believed to have entered Greece at the end of June and was last seen in the Athens region on July 10.

She subsequently went missing. According to police, the suspect, a foreign individual, confessed to the crime on Thursday and now faces charges encompassing intentional homicide, robbery, and firearms-related offenses. It came to light that the suspect had placed the body within a suitcase and transported it to the deserted location.

Following this, the 26-year-old allegedly utilized the victim's bank cards to make withdrawals. The suspect reportedly claimed the victim was deceased when he found her; however, police did not confirm this in their statement. Police recovered a replica pistol and a knife from the suspect's residence. International collaboration, involving assistance from Interpol in the US and UK law enforcement, facilitated the identification of the victim despite her advanced level of decomposition.