Church tribute to 'precious' missionary found dead in suitcase in Greece

A church pastor has paid tribute to a Scottish missionary found dead in a suitcase in Greece.

Peter Anderson said Lisa Ross had been a "precious" member of the congregation at City on a Hill church in Edinburgh for 20 years.

Ross, 38, was found in an abandoned building in the Kypseli district of Athens on 18 July – several days after she was reported missing.

Greek police said a 26-year-old man, understood to be from Afghanistan, admitted transporting her body and had been arrested in connection with her death.

Elizabeth-Jane Ross, who was known as Lisa, had been volunteering with One Heart - a refugee support group based in Athens.

She was described by the church pastor as having a "big passion" for missionary work who "cared for people all over the world".

City on a Hill is an independent Christian church based in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

In a video posted on its Facebook page, Anderson said it "It had been a "really tough week" for the church.

He added: "Lisa's life was all about mission. She had been to many places and served people.

"She was a very precious girl and it is a tragic loss."

Police said Ross had arrived in Greece on 26 June and stayed in the Kertasini area of Piraeus until 10 July.

She told Greek friends she was staying with that she was going to Kypseli to meet "American friends" on 15 July.

Police said the man they arrested had taken her body to the abandoned site in a suitcase, then used her bank cards to withdraw money.

During searches of his home, officers claimed to have recovered and seized a replica pistol and a knife.

Police said a toxicology report was being fast-tracked to identify the cause of death.

They said they were also looking to trace Ross's American friends.