The ex-girlfriend of a British millionaire wanted in connection with his murder on the Costa del Sol has been arrested, the Spanish authorities said. Businessman Andrew Bush, 48, was found dead early on Saturday at a property near Estepona, west of Marbella.
Police had been hunting for Slovak national Mayka Marica Kukucova since Bush, whose interests included a jewellery shop in his former hometown of Bristol, was found shot dead at the house in Andalucia. Police confirmed that Kukucova was detained in Slovakia on suspicion of a "consumed intentional homicide".
A National Police spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that Mayka Marica Kukucova, born in 1990, was arrested early this afternoon in Slovakia after Spanish authorities requested a European arrest warrant. She is the ex-partner of Andrew Bush and has been arrested on suspicion of a consumed intentional homicide. Arrangements for her extradition to Spain are still to be finalised."
It is thought that Kukucova, a swimwear model, gave herself up at a police station in her home town of Nova Bosaca. Reports in Spain allege that Mr Bush was shot twice after returning home from a holiday with his new girlfriend, 20-year-old Russian student Maria Korotaeva.
Bush's ex-wife, former radio presenter Sam Mason, 45, and their 19-year-old daughter Ellie Mason-Bush flew out to Spain at the weekend. In a short message posted on Facebook, Ms Mason, who divorced Bush several years ago, revealed the major development in the investigation. She wrote: "They've got her."
Ms Mason, who now lives in North Yorkshire, had earlier paid tribute to her ex-husband in a post on Facebook from Spain. She wrote: "RIP dearest Andy. We all loved you so much. Our lives will never be the same again." Meanwhile, Miss Korotaeva, a business and human resources undergraduate at the University of the West of England in Bristol, had earlier paid tribute to Mr Bush.
Posting a picture of her and Bush on social networking site Instagram, she wrote: "I will always love you. You will always be in my heart. The man who changed my world for better. My teacher. I wish I could of (sic) saved you. RIP Andy Bush. You always be my family. Never forget. We are strong. We can do it. And we won't let you ruin us."
Earlier, Miss Korotaeva had told how she cowered in a car as her boyfriend was killed at his Spanish villa. The student, who said she met Bush in a Bristol coffee shop, told the Bristol Post how she had run outside after realising someone else was in Bush's home.
She waited for Bush to sort it out before hearing gun shots and seeing his car driving away. Obviously I am glad I am not dead but I feel like a train has been running up and down my body ripping me to bits," she told the newspaper. There's no way of putting into words how you feel when somebody you love is killed. I feel dreadful right now. We had so many plans for the future and now there's nothing."