Key Three Days Ahead: Greek Police Race to Unravel Mystery of Brit's Body Discovered in Suitcase

GREEK cops are focusing in on three crucial days as they continue to investigate the mysterious death of a Brit found in a suitcase in Athens.

, 38, was last seen leaving her friend’s home before she was in an abandoned building just 72 hours later.

Elisabeth Jane Ross, 38, was found dead inside a suitcase in an abandoned Athens building Credit: Facebook

Elisabeth is said to have stayed at a friend’s house in Attica before leaving on July 15 with plans to meet American pals in Kypseli.

Three days later, her body was found stuffed inside the suitcase at 7 Evelpidon Street in the Athens neighbourhood.

There were no visible wounds on the body or any clear signs of a struggle as police opened a murder investigation fearing a killer may be on the loose.

Cops are desperate to uncover what happened to Elisabeth during the three days she is unaccounted for.

Cops reportedly suspect Elisabeth may have been lured to the abandoned location by a homeless person Credit: Facebook nvestigators are still searching the crime scene and surrounding areas Credit: Eurokinissi

Police spokesperson Konstantia Dimoglidou told The Sun the focus of the homicide department investigation is now the three days between the Brit’s last contact and the day the suitcase was found.

She said: “The key to this case is to find out what happened to the woman during those three days as we don’t know anything about her moves on the 15th, 16th and 17th.

“The main focus is to find her cause of death as the medical examiner did not find any signs of struggle or injury on her body.

“We are waiting for the toxicology reports to shed some light in the next few days.

“We cannot be talking about a murder if we don’t know what happened to her – maybe she died and someone tried to hide her body, anything is possible and at this point it’s too soon to tell.

“As part of the investigation we are also checking CCTV from the area where she was found and we are working to trace her phone.”

The exact date she died is still unknown with initial reports suggesting the woman was likely dumped in the neighbourhood of Kypseli and not found for several days.

A police spokesperson told the BBC they are still waiting for the results of the toxicology tests determine if foul play was involved.

Elisabeth travelled to the Greek capital at the end of June to stay with friends Credit: Facebook/@Joanne Noble Investigators are now desperately piecing together her final movements Credit: Eurokinissi

A spokesperson for Greek police said: “No other evidence has emerged from the body or the suitcase that would allow us to identify another person.

“We are awaiting the result of toxicology tests to determine the cause of death, and ascertain whether foul play was involved.

“The investigation is ongoing.”

Police are now scouring CCTV from around the scene hoping to catch any person holding a similar suitcase to the one which was found.

Cops are also reportedly still probing a theory that Elisabeth may have been lured to the abandoned location by a homeless person.

Officials are also still trying to pin down the route Elisabeth took to get into Kypseli and are quizzing local and bars to see if they recognise her.

The friends who hosted the Scottish woman during her holiday have also been questioned and confirmed she left under her own power and appeared to be in good spirits.

It comes as her heartbroken after her mysterious death.

The dad, a lawyer in Edinburgh, told Greek cops he was sent several messages for two weeks after Elisabeth’s passing from a man now being viewed as the prime suspect.

An officer told the Sun that the emergence of the messages has helped investigators track the location of phone.

They said: “They were sent from Athens and it is clear whoever sent them was trying to buy time.”

Elisabeth’s phone was only turned off on Wednesday morning after reports of the body being found made global headlines, local media claim.

The body was identified as Elisabeth on July 27 as Greek police launched a murder probe two days later Credit: Facebook Elisabeth is believed to have stayed at a friend’s house in Attica before leaving on July 15 Credit: Facebook/@Joanne Noble

Police have managed to piece together a timeline regarding Elisabeth’s disappearance and tragic end to help crack the case.

She arrived in on June 26 after flying out from , according to the Hellenic Police.

After leaving her friend’s house, phone records show she called a friend shortly after heading off, according to news site Flash .

Her body was then found by a homeless man inside a building which had been unused for at least two years.

He entered a room inside and found the suitcase on the ground.

The suitcase did not belong to the victim, police have confirmed.

Officers initially couldn’t identify the woman as she reportedly had no identification on her, sparking Interpol to help with .

Police spokesperson Konstantina Dimoglidou told Skai TV that authorities were treating the incident “as a criminal act, given how the body was found”.

Another Greek officer told The Sun: “To find a foreign national dead in a suitcase here in the heart of Athens is a first.

“In the history of Greek British relations, it is unprecedented.”

Helena Smith, The Guardian’s correspondent in Athens, told BBC Radio Scotland that the body was found in a derelict building in downtown Athens, “in an area that is booming, full of Airbnbs”.

First Minister John Swinney said Ross’s family would be supported by the Scottish government and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

He said: “This is an absolutely appalling case that has been reported overnight.

“And obviously I’m deeply concerned that such a tragedy has taken place.”