A killer who stabbed his roommate to death has been extradited back to Portugal following a European manhunt. William Hunter was sentenced to 16-years in prison for the murder of Elliot Mulligan in an apartment they shared in Albufeira in 2022.
Hunter, 34, lodged an appeal against the Portuguese court’s judgement and, as he waited for the outcome, he was released on bail in April 2024 following the expiration of his maximum remand period.
Despite the warnings of Mulligan’s mother, who said “he will be out and, with nothing to lose, free to commit more potentially hideous crimes,” Hunter was released and went on to flee the country.
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Hunter was eventually arrested by Guardia Civil officers in Alicante, Spain on September 15 after 17 months on the run in a co-ordinated probe also involving the National Crime Agency (NCA), Portuguese Judicial Police and Merseyside Police.
The ECHO has exclusively revealed that Hunter, who has been detained in Spain since his arrest, was handed back over to Portuguese authorities on November 13 to begin to serve his prison sentence.
Gill Duggan, of the NCA, previously 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.
William Hunter pictured before he fled Portugal
“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.”
The NCA released footage of the moment Hunter was arrested. In the video, it shows officers zooming in on a luxury apartment complex before jumping to doorbell footage showing Hunter leaving with a suitcase and black bag.
Around 12 seconds into the clip, Hunter can be seen face down on the floor surrounded by undercover police officers. He is then handcuffed and helped up off the ground before being searched and placed into a car.
Hunter is also expected to face charges over other crimes including an armed robbery at a jeweller’s in the northern Portuguese city of Esponsende at the start of 2025.
An inquest in Liverpool heard that Mr Mulligan, 22, had been staying with Hunter, then 31, at the Correeira Luxury Residence from April 6, 2022. In the early hours of April 25, the pair got into an argument and Hunter launched a vicious attack, stabbing Mr Mulligan approximately 24 times.
He managed to escape the flat by jumping from a balcony and walked several metres across the garden before collapsing. Emergency services were alerted just after 6.30am, and pronounced him dead at the scene a short time later.
Elliot Mulligan
Hunter is thought to have fled Portugal after being released from prison on a technicality as he appealed the murder verdict, although local authorities have not specified why he was allowed back on the streets before he went on the run.
Mr Mulligan’s mum Gina previously told the ECHO that Hunter could “only be described as inhuman and evil”.
Describing her son, she added: “Elliot was a free spirit, adored by his mum, sisters and niece. He was loved beyond words by his close family and many friends. Elliot lived in the moment and embraced life with positivity, a lover not a fighter with a heart of gold.
“He was a peacekeeper who would never look for aggravation. His smile would light up a room and his laugh will never be forgotten. He was a loyal, kind and gentle soul. The devastation of losing him is something we cannot comprehend.”
Merseyside Police previously confirmed the force was supporting Mr Mulligan’s family.