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On-the-run NI man and Czech national named as John George murder suspects

Patrick Fee, Pippa Cooke & Carlos Underwood
BBC Spotlight
Solarpix/Facebook Two images sit side by side. To the left, a tall man in light blue jeans and a black jumper is led across a red pathway into a building. He is wearing handcuffs and flanked by two police officers in green uniforms, with a small Spain flag on the sleeve. The man in the jumper has dark hair and a short black beard, he is looking at the camera. The officers' faces are blurred out. On the right two men face the camera. The man furthest away is taller with light hair and a beard. He is smiling and making a gesture with his hand, where he has two fingers extended. He has his arm around the other man, John George, who is in a dark hoodie and wearing sunglasses, making the same hand gesture. They are in a dark room with a pink light. Solarpix/Facebook
Michal Maly entering court (left) and John George and Jonny Smyth (right) pictured online

The men Spanish police suspect were involved in the murder of John George is a Belfast man on the run from the authorities and a Czech national, an investigation by BBC Spotlight has found.

John George, from Belfast was missing for 21 days in Alicante in December before his body was discovered.

In the time between his disappearance and his body being found, the search generated huge online attention.

Jonny Smyth, a 26-year-old originally from Belfast but who had been living in Spain, is named in international arrest warrants.

Michal Maly, 32, a former member of the French Foreign Legion from the Czech Republic, has appeared in court in connection with the murder.

No-one has yet been convicted of the murder, and neither of the suspects responded to the BBC's requests for comment.

During John George's disappearance, his family's search for answers garnered widespread attention.

The last words he ever spoke to them were: "Right ma, love ya, I'll see you soon."

Family handout A man taking a selfie - he is smiling broadly at the camera, has short, shaved brown hair and is wearing a grey t-shirt. He is sitting on a leather sofa which can be glimpsed behind his shouldersFamily handout
John George, whose body was found in Spain 21 days after he disappeared

His father Billy said John had remained close to the family, even as his struggles with drug addiction saw him slip further into criminality.

After travelling to Spain in December for a holiday at the home of a friend, the 37-year-old disappeared.

Despite weeks of searching, huge online interest in the case and feverish speculation from true crime enthusiasts, the George family found no answers for 21 days.

When John's body was finally discovered by police in a lemon grove in Rojales, near Alicante, it was clear there had been foul play.

He had been stabbed and beaten before being killed by gunshots to the face and chest.

Two rows of lemon trees are separated by a dirt path with a small patch of rough grass in the middle. The lemons closest to the camera shine with a broad blue sky above the trees. There are some light clouds and a fading sunlight in the distance.
John's body was found at a lemon grove near Alicante

The Guardia Civil (Spanish police force) team heading the investigation believes it knows who was involved in John George's murder.

Michal Maly was arrested and appeared in court in connection with the crime in January.

He was granted bail under strict conditions by a Spanish court.

Jonny Smyth has been named in several arrest warrants.

Having fled Spain in the weeks after the murder, he is currently on the run from the authorities.

John George had been staying at Jonny Smyth's home in Spain prior to being killed.

A small black and white photograph of John George has been placed in the grass beside a wire fence. Candles and flowers surround it lighting up the fence and surrounding grass. John is dressed in a suit in the photograph and is smiling. Beyond the fence a small amount of orange light fills the night sky.
Tributes were left close to the site where John's body was found

Col Antonio Darder of the Guardia Civil, who is in charge of all investigative teams in the Alicante region including those on the John George case, said he wanted "the family to understand that the work from day one was intense".

"We now have a clear suspect and are hoping that he will soon be arrested. The international arrest warrants have already been issued.

"Wherever he is hiding, we will use all international mechanisms available - Interpol and any other means necessary.

"I believe he will soon be arrested."

Lost CCTV and false trails

A long tarmac road separates rows of neatly planted lemon trees as part of a large grove which extends to both sides of the image. A Metal pole is visible below the camera line which has CCTV cameras mounted to the top. Houses, factories and hills are visible further in the distance with a warm light suggesting the sun is setting.
CCTV footage which may have captured the murder was destroyed

It has been discovered that the length of time taken to recover John's remains led to some potentially crucial evidence being lost.

A CCTV recording, which may have captured the murder taking place, was wiped after two weeks - before police knew the location of the killing.

Some of those who claimed to be helping the family during their search for John's remains during this time were laying false trails, the BBC has been told.

According to the family, two men John had spent time with on the day of his disappearance gave differing accounts of his last known location.

Claims he had been spotted partying in another town, was in police custody, or was preparing to fly home were not true.

Billy George stands in the middle of a street looking at the camera. He is bald and is wearing a navy blue t-shirt. The sun is shining creating shadows from the cars and houses which line both sides of the street behind him. The background is blurred.
John's father Billy said the people responsible for his son's murder must be held accountable

John's father, Billy George, said his son was addicted to drugs and had become drawn further into criminality as that addiction worsened.

Charges linked to a £30,000 cannabis haul were withdrawn from a court in Belfast in January following the news of John's death.

Reformed criminal Marvin Herbert knows exactly how dangerous the world of Spanish ex-pat crime can be.

"Debt collecting, drug dealing, beating, shooting, carrying guns. There was nothing I never done over there," he said.

"And it ended with me being shot five times."

Marvin has seen first hand how those connected to the drug trade view minor criminals like John George.

"Target. Simple.

"That's him - because who's going to complain when he's not here? Who's going to complain when he gets a slap? Like, what is he going to do?

"That's how the criminals think about stuff. It's just vicious."