Mayka Kukucova: Jury Finds Swimsuit Model Guilty Of Killing Her Ex-Boyfriend, Andrew Bush


Popular swimsuit model Maria Kukucova was recently found guilty of killing her ex-boyfriend, Andrew Bush, and she now faces up to 22 years in prison. Kukucova is of Slovak nationality and was a famous model in the country until April, 2014, when she was accused of shooting Bush, a British millionaire jewelry tycoon. According to a report from People magazine, the 26-year-old did not enter a formal plea, and she had asked the jury to believe that she had killed her 48-year-old ex-lover in self-defense after he allegedly attacked her, saying she “never meant to hurt” him. However, a jury concluded Friday that Kukucova, who heard the verdict while covering her face, is guilty of murder.

Kukucova’s defense team unsuccessfully tried to prove during the hearing that their client acted in self-defense. Her defense lawyer told the court that she indeed shot Bush, however, the attorney claimed the couple had fought with one another at his house and that the shots were fired during the confrontation. But the jury of five women and four men did not believe this version of events.

It was early April of 2014 when reporters from the British tabloids were rubbing their hands to know the intricacies of this complex story that broke with the violent death of Bush. His lifeless body with three shots, two in the head, was found in his luxury holiday home in Marbella, Spain, where he had moved to celebrate his new relationship.

Bush and Kukucova reportedly broke up in November, 2013, when he was 48 and she 23. Almost from that date, Bush began an affair with a younger Russian-born model. According to Bush’s relatives, his new relationship set off a jealous rage within Kukucova.

His sister Rachel, 44, gave the following words before the trial.

“I never had a good feeling about her. I don’t believe she killed him in self-defense at all,” she was quoted as saying. “If she admits that she killed him, we could forgive her but I do not know if it is possible to forgive somebody who does not feel any regret. And I do not think that she regrets killing him. I think she was just jealous of his new girlfriend.”

According to News.com.au, Kukucova claimed she accidentally killed Bush after he shouted at her, hit her and then shot at her with a .38 revolver when he discovered her in the house. In her court testimony, Kukucova claimed that Bush had given her permission to retrieve some personal belongings while he was away on business, People reports. The model claims that while she was there, Bush had returned home unexpectedly with his new girlfriend, Russian socialite Maria Korotaeva.

Kukucova said Bush then became violent and that during these moments, she suddenly found a gun in her hand and fired. Forensic evidence showed that the third shot she fired to his head was the one that ended his life. After shooting Bush, the model placed the gun in the left hand of the deceased, took the keys to his Hummer and fled. The vehicle was found a day later on a beach in Marbella. The model traveled to Slovakia and a few days after the crime, the police arrested her.

“I was only defending myself. I was afraid because never in my life has anyone tried to kill me,” Kukucova said. “I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t hear anything. I was just trying to get away. I didn’t want to hurt him.”

The defense, which is expected to appeal the sentence when issued, has requested that the penalty be lessened. Kukucova will be sentenced at a later date.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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