The family of Elisabeth-Jane “Lisa” Ross has issued its first public statement since the death of the 38-year-old British volunteer in Athens was first reported, paying tribute to a woman they said dedicated her life to helping vulnerable people.
Ross was found dead inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in the central Athens district of Kypseli on July 18, several days after she had been reported missing.
A 26-year-old Afghan man remains in pre-trial detention on charges of murder, robbery and weapons offenses. He denies the murder allegation but admits moving Ross’ body, claiming he panicked and feared he would be blamed for her death. He also used the victim’s bank cards after her death to retrieve some 10,000 euros, in total, from ATMs.
In a statement released on Thursday, Ross’ family described her as a woman whose compassion was reflected in her lifelong humanitarian work.
“Lisa will forever be remembered as a kind, honest, and selfless person. Her integrity was uncompromising and she dedicated her life to helping people in need. We are in deep pain and ask for time and respect for our privacy as we try to cope with our loss,” the family said.
A 26-year-old Afghan man accused of murdering a British woman, whose body was found inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in the Kypseli district of central Athens, is brought before an investigating magistrate in the Greek capital on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. (D. DAVLOPOULOU / EUROKINISSI)
Long record of humanitarian work
Ross had traveled to Greece as a volunteer, working with organizations supporting refugees/asylum seekers. She arrived in Athens on June 26 and stayed with friends in the Piraeus district of Keratsini until July 10. According to investigators, she later told friends she would be staying with “Americans” she had met, although police have so far been unable to identify or locate those individuals. Authorities believe she died several days before her body was discovered.
Speaking to BBC Scotland, longtime friend Magali Tasson recalled Ross’ unwavering commitment to helping others. The two met in 2013 while studying and living together in Switzerland.
Tasson said Ross had “deep compassion for refugees and for women who had suffered abuse” and devoted much of her life to supporting humanitarian and missionary projects around the world. She added that Ross “always gave to others,” often neglecting her own needs because she was focused on helping people in difficult circumstances.
Ross’ church community in Edinburgh also paid tribute, saying she would be remembered for her “unstoppable passion” for helping those less fortunate and describing her as someone determined to leave the world better than she found it.
Defense cites presumption of innocence
Meanwhile, lawyers representing the 26-year-old defendant issued a statement outlining their legal strategy and accusing authorities of undermining the presumption of innocence through alleged leaks from the case file.
The defense said its client exercised his right to remain silent during questioning while awaiting the inclusion in the investigative file of the forensic pathology report, along with toxicology and histology findings, which have not yet been finalized.
According to the statement, the defense has also requested, through judicial assistance procedures, that additional documents concerning Ross and material recovered from her personal belongings be incorporated into the case file.
The lawyers further argued that the post-mortem examination had not identified traumatic injuries on the victim’s body and maintained that conclusions about the cause and manner of death should await the completion of forensic testing. They also criticized what they described as selective disclosure of investigative material before the judicial process has concluded.
Investigation continues
The killing has drawn widespread attention in Greece and Britain.
Greek authorities have accelerated forensic testing in an effort to establish the precise cause of Ross’ death, while investigators continue examining her final movements, digital communications and financial transactions in the days before and after her disappearance. Police have also been working with British authorities as part of the investigation.
According to local press reports this week, police investigators have focused on reconstructing Ross’ final days in Athens, including efforts to identify the “American friends” she told acquaintances she planned to meet before her disappearance.
Authorities have also been examining messages sent from her phone after investigators believe she had already died, a development they believe was intended to delay the discovery of the crime and mislead both relatives and police. Pending toxicology and histopathology results are expected to play a central role in determining the exact cause of death and in shaping the prosecution’s case.
