John George: Belfast dad-of-two found dead in Spain was stabbed and shot, according to family

Father-of-two John George, also known as John Hardy was on holiday in Alicante but was reported missing after failing to board his flight home to Northern Ireland on December 18. He last made contact with his family four days earlier. His body was discovered earlier this month, prompting an investigation.

A man has since appeared in court in Spain on suspicion of Mr George’s murder. His family, represented by KRW Law, has received a post-mortem report from Spanish authorities confirming the manner of death. “The findings point to John having been stabbed before being shot,” KRW Law said in a statement.

The family has requested a second autopsy to confirm the findings. “As a precautionary measure and in order to make sure we have absolute clarity on the cause of death, we have instructed another pathologist to conduct a second autopsy on John’s remains,” the law firm explained.

They also expressed hope that progress would continue in the investigation. “They are hopeful that all engaged authorities will pursue implementation of the warrants in order to take the case to the next very important stage of the investigation.”

The family, who travelled to Spain to assist in the search for Mr. George, are now coordinating with authorities, the coroner’s office, and a pathologist regarding the logistics of this sensitive matter. The second autopsy is expected to be completed early next week.