‘Aggressive’ homeless man named as ‘prime suspect’ after Scots woman found stuffed in suitcase

A man reportedly known for carrying a knife and being aggressive towards women has emerged as a key suspect.

A homeless man has been named as a “prime suspect” in the police investigation of a Scottish woman found stuffed inside a suitcase in Greece, according to reports.

The body of Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, was discovered around 1pm on July 18 by a homeless man on Evelpidon Street in the neighbourhood of Kypseli, Athens. According to local police, Elisabeth, also known as Lisa, from Edinburgh, had been dead for approximately eight days and had no visible wounds of any clear signs of struggle.

It is now understood Greek police are desperately trying to find a man called ‘Markos’ who is known to frequent the Kypseli district where Elisabeth’s remains were discovered, as reported by the Daily Mail. According to the outlet, Markos regularly slept rough in the derelict space where the suitcase was found but has not been spotted since it was declared a crime scene – prompting a citywide manhunt.

It’s understood that police have now turned their attention to Markos, who has been described as a known heavy drinker and drug user with a reputation for being aggressive and threatening particularly towards women.

Hamid Reza, a homeless man who lives in a makeshift shelter close to where Elisabeth’s grim discovery was made, said police told him that Markos is their number one suspect. The Iranian, 67, told the Daily Mail: “They want to find and question him very quickly. They have been asking a lot of people and driving around the area looking for him.

“Everybody knows that Markos carries a knife, and local women are scared of him. He was always around this area, even living in the car park, but nobody has seen him since the body was discovered.”

Markos has been described as around 40 years old and heavily covered in tattoos. A Greek police source said his potential involvement is being probed by detectives investigating Elisabeth’s death, but stressed it had not been reported at the time, and the suggestion only came to light in recent days.

The source said: “We have a lead on a homeless man. We want to question a particular individual. But we are also looking for a number of other people as part of this investigation.”

Elisabeth is understood to have travelled from the US to Greece via Cyprus on June 29. Officers are trying to determine her final movements and speak with anyone who may have come into contact with her before her death. The force alleged messages were sent from her mobile in the days after her death up until she was identified by media. It’s believed that her father, from Edinburgh, had been receiving messages from July 15 to 29.

A Greek officer said the phone, which remains missing, was “being used to make people believe she was still alive.” Detectives have established Elisabeth was staying with Greek friends – who have been cleared of any wrongdoing – in the Keratsini district and told them on July 15 that she was leaving to stay with Americans she knew in Kypseli. However, according to reports, police are now questioning whether these American friends actually exist, given they haven’t been traced.

A police spokesman said: “We do not yet know who the people she visited (in Kypseli) are, nor whether they are Americans or if they even exist. We are trying to find out where she went and who she stayed with.”

Cops couldn’t identify Elisabeth at the scene due to reportedly not having any identification on her. She was believed to be around 30 years old, 5ft 4in tall, with reddish hair tied in a bun and wearing black shorts, with a French university insignia on them, and a T-shirt.

It’s understood the rough sleeper discovered her after following a foul smell inside the abandoned property, which had lain empty for two years. The homeless person then spotted a human limb visible from the outside of a suitcase. An autopsy is due to be carried out. Interpol and US investigators have been called in by the Greek authorities to assist with the probe. On Monday, Interpol notified the Hellenic Police that DNA testing revealed that the body belonged to a British woman.

Police Scotland are liaising with authorities in Greece regarding the probe. Officers are also providing support to her family in Scotland. No official suspect has been identified at this time. A spokesperson for the force said: “We are aware of the death of Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland.”

A UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Elisabeth’s family during this difficult time. We are providing consular support and are in contact with the local authorities.”