The tragic case of John George highlights the heartache of families with missing loved ones
Belfast: A body believed to be John George, a 37-year-old father from Twinbrook, has been found in Spain.
This grim discovery wraps up a painful journey that started with hope but turned into a nightmare of questions and fears of foul play. At least his family can find some comfort knowing he’ll be coming home to Northern Ireland.
John, also known as John Hardy, went to Spain for a holiday in early December.
His plan was simple — just a drive from Alicante to the popular tourist spot, Benidorm.
But on December 14, he called his family for the last time, saying he was still heading to Benidorm. Four days later, he was supposed to fly back to Belfast, but he never showed up.
As days went by without any word from him, his family started to worry.
By December 23, they set up a GoFundMe to help with the search, fearing he might have fallen victim to something terrible.
“Each day without contact makes things harder,” his sister Courtney told the Belfast Telegraph.
She mentioned that it was totally out of character for him to disappear like this, and while they were trying to stay hopeful, their worries were growing.
By Christmas Eve, things took a turn for the worse. A video surfaced showing John in an apartment, looking drunk and wearing a baseball cap and T-shirt.
Spanish authorities thought a criminal living in Spain might know something about John’s disappearance, but they couldn’t track him down.
As time went on, the situation got darker. Spanish police officially labeled John’s case as a crime, sealing off the luxury apartment where he was last seen.
Two men who were there were questioned but not arrested. By then, John’s dad had come to the heartbreaking realization that his son was likely dead.
Later, Courtney told the Sunday Life that she believed her brother had been murdered and hidden away. That same day, police revealed they thought John had been shot before Christmas.
It was also reported that the two main suspects were blaming each other and wouldn’t tell anyone where John’s body was.
As the new year rolled in, things didn’t get any better. One suspect linked to the case skipped bail in Spain and flew back to Northern Ireland, on the same flight as John’s partner.
After that, a young woman who had been with John before he went missing posted a video online, denying any involvement and claiming she had given all she knew to the police.
Back in Belfast, John’s family was rallying support, with friends holding vigils and making heartfelt appeals online to keep his case in the public eye.
Even though they were convinced he was dead, John’s family was determined not to go back to Northern Ireland without his body.
The PSNI got involved too, asking for information and opening an online portal, while search teams from Northern Ireland went to Spain with rescue dogs.
Soon after, with fears that suspects might leave Spain, Interpol stepped in.
As the search continued, one suspect made a phone call to John’s family, claiming he had been shot and left somewhere between Torrevieja and Benidorm.
In the call, he mentioned a gun was used but taken away by one of the suspects, who said they would “clean it.”
He also claimed that John left their apartment uninjured with another man on December 14.
Finally, it seems the family’s relentless search has paid off, as Spanish authorities have found a body believed to be John’s.
This discovery brings a heavy conclusion to a case that has captured the attention of both Northern Ireland and Spain, showing just how tough it is for families when loved ones go missing abroad.
Now, the family’s quest for a body turns into a quest for justice.
