Braga, Portugal – Portuguese authorities have arrested a British man wanted in Spain for the murder of John George on the Costa Blanca last year.
Jonny Smyth, 26, originally from Belfast, was detained at an Airbnb in Braga by Portugal’s Polícia Judiciária under a European and international arrest warrant issued by Spanish authorities.
Smyth, who is currently in custody, is expected to appear in court tomorrow for an extradition hearing before being transferred to Spain in the coming weeks.
Murder Investigation & Arrest
The victim, John George, 37, was reported missing in Alicante on December 14, 2024. His stabbed and shot body was discovered weeks later in January, dumped in a remote lemon grove in Rojales.
According to Portuguese police, Spanish investigators have long suspected a murder and body concealment plot, leading to Smyth fleeing to the Middle East and Asia before arriving in Portugal. Another suspect has already been arrested in Spain in connection with the case.
Authorities in Portugal expedited Smyth’s capture with the assistance of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Guimarães.
Smyth is expected to be presented before the Guimarães Court of Appeal, where officials will assess his detention and extradition to Spain.
