John George: Sister of missing Belfast man believes ‘friend’ is behind killing

THE sister of missing Belfast man John George has said she believes he was killed by a “friend” in Spain who may have already fled the country.

Courtney George has travelled to Alicante with around 50 people from Northern Ireland since her brother (37) disappeared before Christmas.

The family believe he was shot dead and his body has been hidden, although local police on Friday said they were still treating the case as a missing persons investigation.

“His friend is the main suspect. He is not a good person, he was dangerous and had drugs and weapons,” Ms George said in an interview with the El Espanol newspaper.

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She said the man cannot be named for legal reasons, has not offered any help with the investigation and could have fled to Thailand immediately after the investigation – but she admits she has no evidence to support this claim.

It was previously reported that a suspect in the case fled Spain this week while another is believed to have travelled to Thailand last month.

“Family members, friends and people from Belfast have come who want to help look for his body. We are a big family, and John was well known and loved,” Ms George said.

“We are searching in Alicante, Benidorm and Torrevieja. We only want his body back, that is why we are offering a large reward. We want to go home to bury him and never return to Spain again.”

After early criticism of the investigation from the family, she said that Spanish police “are helping” but the police system is “very different” from Belfast.

Ms George also downplayed videos circulating on social media, appearing to show her brother mention links to the Russian mafia, saying she “doesn’t know anything” and believes the suspect is someone “closer”.

She continued: “After this experience, I would love to do something that can help other people. When everything is resolved, I will help people who are going through the same thing as me, I will make sure that I am there for them.”

In recent days, Mr George’s brother Darren told the Irish News he believed he had been “lured” to the country with the promise of a holiday before being killed.

He also said the family were aware that John had fallen into criminal circles, but was “loved unconditionally”.

“I’m a normal person and live a normal life, I never in my life thought I would be in hell, but I am in hell right now,” he said.

Mr George’s father Billy told the Irish News on Wednesday he had confronted the person he believed had killed his son.

“I told him straight, you shot my son dead,” he said, adding that Spanish police had arrested the man before he was later released.

On Friday it was reported that a 19-year-old woman from Northern Ireland – Madison Allen - alleged to have been in John George’s company in Spain before he disappeared said she had received over “30 death threats”.

She denies any involvement in his disappearance and said she had told the family and police everything she knows.