Athens suitcase death mystery as police reveal outside of bag had no fingerprints or DNA
Greek police investigating the death of Edinburgh woman Elisabeth Jane Ross, whose body was found inside a suitcase in a derelict Athens building, have said forensic examination of the case itself yielded no fingerprints or DNA, deepening the mystery over who was responsible. The 38-year-old, known as Lisa, had travelled to Greece three weeks before her body was discovered, and investigators say whoever left the suitcase took care to leave no trace, prompting involvement of the Greek homicide division and international police contacts, including Police Scotland.
Ms Ross was found on 18 July in a building in the Kypseli area after a homeless man reported a foul smell and a limb protruding from the case; her body showed no obvious signs of physical injury and the exact cause of death remains undetermined. Police are seeking a homeless man known as Markos, who lived in the building and has a history of an alleged knife attack, and are examining her phone, from which messages were sent to family and friends for 11 days after her death, falsely claiming she wanted solitude on a Greek island. Ms Ross, who regularly travelled to Greece for volunteer work with abused women, had been staying with friends in Keratsini before reportedly moving to stay with unidentified "American friends" in Kypseli, whose existence local police now doubt.
- Suitcase in Ross case yielded no fingerprints or DNA, say Greek police
- Homeless man Markos sought; cause of death still unknown
- Fake messages sent from her phone for 11 days after death
New here? Start with this
Greek police are investigating the death of a British woman whose body was found inside a suitcase in Athens. Detectives will be trying to establish her identity, when she died, how she died and who moved or handled the suitcase.
Forensic examinations can help investigators link people and objects through fingerprints, DNA, fibres or other traces. If the outside of the suitcase has no usable fingerprints or DNA, police may need to rely more heavily on other evidence, such as CCTV footage, phone records, witness accounts and tests on the suitcase’s contents.
Athens has a large and varied population, including people experiencing homelessness, and police are reportedly considering the woman’s contacts as part of their inquiry. At this stage, reports about a possible connection to people she had tried to help are an avenue of investigation rather than an established explanation.