'Adoptive parents' of Athens 'suitcase killer' insist there were no red flags

'Adoptive parents' of Athens 'suitcase killer' insist there were no red flags Sharif Ahmadzai, an Afghan boxer, is accused of killing Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, who was discovered inside a suitcase by a homeless man in a derelict building in Athens A couple who were called "mum and dad" by the man accused of killing a Scottish aid worker, whose body was found in a suitcase, say they never saw any red flags. An American couple, who did not want to be named, took in Afghan migrant Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, at their home for almost two years on the Greek island of Lesvos, where they were doing humanitarian aid work in the Moria refugee camp. They have spoken of their disbelief with Ahmadzai having appeared in court, charged with homicide with intent following the death of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, who was discovered by a homeless man in a derelict building in the Kypseli area of Athens on July 18. The Afghan boxer left his home country after being orphaned as a teenager and was living at the Moria camp as a translator for relief groups in 2016 when he met the American couple. They became like adopted parents to Ahmadzai who called them "mum and dad", and he was part of the family with their adult sons. His "mum" would teach him English and they gave him Christmas presents while living in Lesvos before they moved back to Atlanta, Georgia, two years later. They have not seen Ahmadzai since a visit to Europe in 2019, reports the Mail. She told the outlet: "When I heard the news, I couldn't imagine it to be true. Not in a million years. It doesn't feel real at all. I keep thinking I'm gonna wake up and it was a nightmare, and it's over. I'm heartbroken. I can't make any sense of it. It's a heartbreak that you can't understand. It's like I have the heart of a mother for that now adult-sized boy." Asked if there were any red flags, the husband replied: "Absolutely not, no. I mean, he had issues like everybody does, but no. There could be some trying times with him, but it was usually more rebellion against authority or just him feeling sorry for himself. Anything I say is speculation. But I'm pretty sure that the Sharif I knew as a teenager is not the Sharif of today." Ahmadzai appeared in court on Thursday and his lawyer Christos Erdas confirmed his client did not submit a plea in relation to any of the three charges he faces. He was initially detained on illegal weapons possession charges but is now facing a charge of homicide with intent, as well as allegations that he stole more than 10,000 euro (£8,500) from Ms Ross’ bank accounts using her bank cards. Mr Erdas said further medical evidence is needed before his client will be in a position to tender a plea – including official confirmation of how Ms Ross died. He also said the defence put in a request for Ms Ross’ medical records to be obtained from the UK as part of the case. The judge ordered Ahmadzai to be kept in pre-trial detention in the meantime, ahead of another hearing at a future date. The court complex is located on the city’s Evelpidon Street, a short walk from the derelict building where the charity worker’s body was found. Police said the suspect was detained for questioning after investigators reviewed surveillance camera footage recorded nearby. After allegedly killing Ms Ross, Ahmadzai is accused of sending a series of messages from her phone to her friends and family before switching off the device. He is then said to have bought another phone and texted her friends in Athens, including his wife, impersonating an unnamed jihadist saying he had killed the Scot because of her religion, Greek newspapers Proto Thema and Ta Nea reported. The newspapers said his wife, a US citizen Alaina Hall, told the police she suspected something was wrong when she woke up to find he was not in their apartment and tracked his phone to where Ms Ross was staying. Ms Hall said she woke around midnight on July 15 and realised her husband was not at home. Using his phone’s location, she discovered he was at an apartment on Rethymnou Street. When she called him he claimed he had been watching a football match at a cafe in Victoria Square and had only stopped by the apartment to use the bathroom. Ms Ross, understood to be from Edinburgh, is believed to have died a number of days before she was found, during which time temperatures reached 36C. Authorities were able to identify her using fingerprints. She entered Greece on June 26 and was initially staying with friends in Piraeus, a port area of Athens. She is then said to have gone to meet American friends in another part of the Greek capital, but it is unclear if this ever happened. Authorities are awaiting the results of tissue analysis to determine whether she died from suffocation, as suggested by a preliminary assessment by the medical examiner. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said earlier: “Our thoughts are with Elisabeth’s family during this difficult time. We are providing consular support and are in contact with the local authorities.” A Police Scotland spokesperson previously said: “We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland.” In a statement released to some media outlets, Ms Ross’ family said: “Lisa will always be remembered by us as kind, principled and selfless. Her integrity was absolute and she dedicated her life to helping others in need. We are in deep pain and we ask for time and privacy as we come to terms with our loss.”