A man who stabbed a British national to death in the Algarve, Portugal, has been arrested in Spain following an intensive National Crime Agency (NCA) coordinated manhunt. William Hunter, 34, was apprehended by Guardia Civil officers in Alicante on 15 September.
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.
NCA international liaison officers coordinated the exchange of intelligence and information between law enforcement agencies to track down Hunter. And his arrest comes after months of extensive work between the NCA, Guardia Civil’s fugitive team, Portuguese Judicial Police and Merseyside Police.
The UK police force has also provided ongoing support to Elliot Mulligan’s family.
Hunter 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 that led to his arrest. Hunter remains in custody in Spain while extradition proceedings continue.