William Hunter, 34, stabbed his roommate to death in the Algarve, Portugal in 2022 before fleeing, sparking a massive manhunt involving police forces in Spain, Portugal and the UK
Shocking footage has captured the moment a Brit was apprehended by cops in Spain after spending 17 months on the run from authorities.
William Hunter, 34, stabbed his roommate to death in the Algarve, Portugal in 2022 before fleeing, sparking a massive manhunt. Now intensive efforts, coordinated by the National Crime Agency (NCA) have led to his arrest in the popular tourist destination.
Officers of the Guardia Civil swooped last week, making the arrest in Alicante. Portuguese authorities will now seek to extradite him over the border to serve a 16-year sentence for murdering his roommate Elliot Mulligan, aged just 22, in an Albufeira apartment in April 2022.
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Intelligence and information was exchanged between law enforcement agencies in efforts to find Hunter, with the NCA’s international liaison officers playing a key role coordinating the hunt.
The NCA, the Guardia Civil’s fugitive team, Portuguese Judicial Police and Merseyside Police put in months of extensive work to facilitate the arrest. Meanwhile Elliot Mulligan’s family have also been given ongoing support by UK police.
William was convicted of murder in May 2023, but lodged an appeal against the Portuguese court’s judgement. While waiting for the result of the appeal, he was released from custody on bail in April 2024 following the expiration of his maximum remand period.
He breached his court-imposed bail conditions and fled, sparking the major multi-agency manhunt which led to his arrest. William remains in custody in Spain while extradition proceedings continue.
NCA Head of Europe Gill Duggan said: “Above all, our thoughts remain with Elliot’s family, who have endured an unimaginable loss and the painful reality that the man responsible had not been held accountable for his violent actions.
“Our pursuit of Hunter was relentless, driven by a deep commitment to securing justice for those who love Elliot.
“With thanks to our partners at Merseyside Police and in Spain and Portugal, Hunter is behind bars where he belongs, and where he will remain for a long time to come.”
Merseyside Police Detective Superintendent Mark Drew said: “The arrest of William Hunter was part of a joint operation between Merseyside Police, NCA, Guardia Civil’s fugitive team and Portuguese Judicial Police.
“We are committed to working with our partners to capture those that evade law enforcement and bring them to justice.
“We will continue to support Elliot’s family, as they finally see justice being done after their tragic loss, we hope that the arrest of William Hunter brings them some comfort.”
“Merseyside Police is committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners across the world. The exchange of intelligence and information across borders is vital in tracking down fugitives, and continues on a daily basis.”