Afghan ‘suitcase killer’ made mysterious visit to Brit ‘victim’s’ flat on day her body was identified, his wife reveals

THE Afghan man accused of murdering a British woman in Athens made a chilling visit to her flat on the very day her body was identified, The Sun has learned. Elisabeth Ross, 38, was found stuffed inside a suitcase three days after she told her suspected killer Sharif Ahmadzai and his wife she was leaving the flat owned by their charity. Elisabeth Ross, 38, was found stuffed in a suitcase in Athens Credit: Facebook/@Joanne Noble The alleged killer, Sharif Ahmadzai’s wife, has told cops she recalls him visiting the property Elisabeth was staying at But police have now been handed a bombshell account claiming Ahmadzai returned to the property on July 29 – the same day Elisabeth’s body was identified. After Ahmadzai was called in for questioning, his wife Alaina Hall told cops she “distinctly recalled” him visiting the flat. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! A source close to Greek police told The Sun: “She said he spent an hour there, telling her the bathroom needed to be used [by a refugee]. It is a tip we have acted on.” Other officials said cops were probing whether he had used the visit to “clean up the flat”. It comes as chilling final texts reveal Elisabeth was planning to make a late-night dash from her alleged killer’s flat three days before her body was found in a suitcase. A police source told The Sun: “There could be motive here. Did he [Ahmadzai] perhaps lose it when he learned she was leaving? “And what made her want to leave so late at night? They’re lines of inquiry that we are looking into.” Elisabeth’s final message was sent to the son of a close friend she had previously stayed with in Keratsini, southwest Athens. Most read in The Sun On July 15, she asked “whether it would be OK to return and spend a few days there again,” a police source said, “which was fine by him”. She then sent another WhatsApp message at 9.41pm saying she would be on her way “within the next half hour”. A homeless man made the grim discovery of her remains inside a suitcase dumped at a derelict building But three days later, a homeless man made the grim discovery of her remains inside a suitcase dumped at a derelict building. He said he followed a foul smell inside the building which had been deserted for at least two years. Her phone remained switched on until at least July 29, when she was publicly identified. During that time, a mystery user allegedly masqueraded as the dead Brit and sent sinister messages to friends and family in a bid to throw them off the scent. The messages claimed Elisabeth needed quiet time and wanted to be alone. Alaina, quickly messaged the missing Brit and received two suspicious replies. The American said: “These messages were not in Lisa’s style both in terms of her level of English and the use of emojis that she never used.” After failing to reach Elisabeth by phone, Alaina began to fear she could be the woman cops had found inside the suitcase. The suspect, an Afghan migrant who is a professional boxer has been charged with intentional homicide, robbery and possession of illegal weapons Credit: @force1.shop Elisabeth was a devout Christian committed to helping those in need Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk Her crucial testimony helped lead police to Ahmadzai, 26, who was swiftly arrested. It is understood that the Afghan man’s partner was friends with Elisabeth. The suspect allegedly told his wife that he killed the victim because she kept talking about her beliefs on Christianity. Elisabeth was reportedly trying to influence him religiously, according to Greek outlet Protothema. The part-time boxer is now locked up in the notorious Korydallos prison, where he faces at least 18 months behind bars while awaiting trial. He was formally charged with intentional homicide, robbery and possession of illegal weapons last Thursday. Toxicology results which could finally reveal Elisabeth’s cause of death are expected to take time because of a shortage of staff and laboratory space. George Kalliakmanis, head of Greece’s union of police officers, told The Sun: “They are not going to be released, as many think, this week.” Police sources have also revealed a disturbing change in Ahmadzai’s behaviour following the birth of his child. Interviews with Alaina allegedly showed the suspect had “noticeably” changed in the months before Elisabeth’s death. She is said to be “revolted” by her husband and firmly believes he killed her friend. Kalliakmanis said: “Her testimony was very credible and very helpful. “She’s in a state of confusion which is perfectly understandable after all she’s the mother of his child.” 9 Rethymnou Street in Athens, where Elisabeth-Jane Ross was staying before she was killed Credit: PA It is understood that the Afghan man’s partner was friends with Elisabeth Credit: Pixel8000 Ahmadzai denies killing Elisabeth but has admitted putting her body inside a suitcase and taking it to the abandoned site. The Afghan also confessed to withdrawing more than €10,000 using her bank cards. But Ahmadzai insists Elisabeth was already dead when he found her in the apartment’s bathroom. He had keys to the property because it was regularly used as a meeting place for Love Every Nation, the NGO he founded with his wife. Alaina became increasingly suspicious of Ahmadzai during the fortnight between Elisabeth’s death and her identification. The alleged killer then made a bizarre attempt to give his wife a new iPhone and €2,550 – around £2,200 – in cash. She refused the gifts and later handed them to police. In her testimony, Alaina said that on July 15 she woke up to discover her husband had suddenly left their home. She said: “I checked his location on my cell phone. I saw that he was inside [Elisabeth’s rental] apartment on Rethymno Street. “I was surprised because there was no particular reason for him to be there at that time.” Ahmadzai claimed he had been at a bar, which Alaina initially believed, but she later proved crucial in facilitating his arrest.