Afghan boxer arrested over the death of a British woman found in a suitcase arrived in Europe by small boat, married a US Christian and had a passion for helping refugees

By VIVEK CHAUDHARY, SENIOR REPORTER and ANDREW JEHRING, CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT Published: 16:59, 3 August 2026 | Updated: 17:15, 3 August 2026 An Afghan professional boxer who arrived in Greece on a small boat before marrying an American Christian has been arrested over the murder of a British woman in Athens. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is suspected of killing Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, before putting her body in a bag and dumping it in a derelict building. Detectives trawled CCTV which allegedly shows him leaving the apartment where Ms Ross was staying with a suitcase and dropping it where her remains were found on July 16. Ahmadzai reached the island of Lesvos in 2016. He then converted to Christianity and married US-born Christian Alaina Hall in 2023 before they set up a ministry helping refugees in Athens. The couple are believed to have known Ms Ross, who was also a Christian volunteer, through their work. They had a key to the flat she was staying in as it was owned by their organisation, Love Every Nation Athens, police sources told the Mail. Officers started probing Ahmadzai after his wife allegedly reported her husband had been behaving suspiciously on July 30. She allegedly said she woke to find him missing on the evening of July 15 and checked his shared location which showed him at Ms Ross's apartment.  Sharif Ahmadzai (R) married US-born Christian Alaina Hall (L) in 2023 An Afghan professional boxer who arrived in Greece on a small boat before marrying an American Christian has been arrested Sharif Ahmadzai is suspected of killing Elisabeth-Jane Ross (pictured) before putting her body in a bag and dumping it in a derelict building Ahmadzai is understood to have told police he found Ms Ross already dead in her bathroom. He allegedly admitted he used the victim's bank cards to withdraw cash and also used her phone to send messages to relatives and friends, pretending to be her. Ahmadzai’s wife grew suspicious when it was announced Ms Ross’s body had been found. She left the family home with their baby and stayed in a hotel. Ahmadzai gave her the sum of 2,550 euros and a new Apple iPhone 17 Pro but she refused them. She handed them to police believing they were bought with Ms Ross’s money. Detectives raided the family home on August 1 and found a black metal replica Glock-style pistol and a black military style knife, sources say. Ahmadzai is a Super Light professional boxer who has had two fights in Athens with one loss and one victory. His life story has been documented in a cartoon video and a forthcoming book titled: 'From hell to home: how loss, exile and hope built the man I became.' Ahmadzai wrote: 'No matter how dark your story is, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.' He was born in Afghanistan to a military commander father who survived six Taliban assassination attempts before being killed in a midnight ambush when Ahmadzai was three. The militants shot him in the head on the way home from an 18-hour shift. When he was nine his older brother Samuel was kidnapped by the Taliban and never returned. His mother, sister and younger brother were killed in a suicide car bomb six years later leaving him an orphan. Alone in Kabul, Ahmadzai used his family's remaining money to leave Afghanistan and spent 45 days walking through Pakistan, Iran and Turkey in freezing conditions. He witnessed a fellow migrant freeze to death and was arrested multiple times with police in Iran opening fire on a group that saw 26 killed. On arrival in Turkey he made three attempts to get to Greece by sea. His boats sank on the first two journeys before he was finally successful. He arrived on the island of Lesvos aged 16 in 2016 and entered Moria Camp where he taught himself English and began translating for a humanitarian organisation. He met Alaina who was volunteering at the centre that year, converted to Christianity the following year and moved to Athens in 2019. It was here he began boxing in a park before helping train refugee boys. He developed romantic feelings for Alaina in 2021 and proposed the following year. His wife said: 'I had seen his growth and his heart for the Lord, and it was so attractive to me… 'We had both entered the relationship with intentionality; we both had the same heart and desire — to love the Lord and to serve people… Officers started probing Ahmadzai after his wife Alaina allegedly reported her husband had been behaving suspiciously on July 30 Ahmadzai is due to appear before magistrates in Athens on Wednesday. 'There were challenges, and it definitely wasn't an easy road, but the Lord was faithful through it all.' They founded Love Every Nation Athens before finally getting the paperwork to marry on April 29, 2023. He was running free boxing sessions five nights a week for unaccompanied teenage boys and the couple were distributing food bags and prescriptions weekly to refugee families. They also organised community events, sports sessions, and activities for young people across Athens. Ahmadzai is due to appear before magistrates in Athens on Wednesday.