Police are investigating after the body of a Scottish woman was found inside a suitcase in an abandoned building in Greece.
The body of Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, was found by a homeless man in the Kypseli neighborhood of Athens, the BBC reported, citing Greek broadcaster ERT.
The remains were discovered after the man noticed a human leg protruding from the suitcase on Evelpidon Street, according to ERT News. After alerting the authorities, the police cordoned off the building and a forensic doctor examined the body.
Authorities believe that Ross arrived in Greece from the United States, after having traveled via Cyprus, on June 29, STV News reported.
Ross was initially identified through a US biometric database, as she had previously worked in the country. American authorities subsequently informed Greek police.
According to local newspaper Ta Nea, Ross's father told police that his daughter was staying with two friends in Keratsini, a suburb of Athens. The couple and their relatives informed police that Ross left the area on Wednesday, July 15, to meet American friends in Kypseli.
The Homicide Department of the Hellenic Police, Greece's national police force, is investigating what happened to Ross in her final days, as well as whether she traveled to Greece alone and who else she was in contact with during her stay in the country.
Investigators believe that her last communication with her boyfriend was on July 15, the day she left for Kypseli, while her mobile phone continued to emit a signal until the morning of the day her body was found.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Helena Smith, The Guardian's correspondent in Athens, explained: "It appears that someone controlled her mobile phone after her death and was sending messages to distract the authorities and her close friends from locating her."
The police are collecting recordings from security cameras in the area, while the suitcase, which did not belong to Ross, could provide clues if it contains DNA or fingerprints, according to Ta Nea.
“We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are in contact with the Greek authorities,” Scottish police told People.
