Girlfriend Of Slain Millionaire Fears Boyfriend's Rival Will Have Her Killed Next

For the first time, the fiancée of a millionaire who was shot dead in his home by his jealous ex-girlfriend opened up about the night he was murdered.

Andy Bush, a Chepstow resident, was shot twice in the head in April 2014 after returning from a night out at his Spanish villa.

Mr Bush, 48, and his new wife Maria Korotaeva had just returned home from a dinner where the jeweler allegedly proposed. However, when they returned in his £60,000 gold-plated Humvee 4x4, they discovered Slovakian swimwear model Mayka Kukucova waiting with a .38 revolver.

Kukucova fled the scene in his car after fatally assaulting Mr Bush, but was apprehended 2,000 miles away in her home country. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison after officials found her guilty of murder in May 2016, but her term was shortened to 13 years the following year.

Ms. Korotaeva said in an interview with the Sunday Mirror that a business rival killed her husband after getting death threats in the weeks prior to his death.

According to Korotaeva, Andy was reportedly at a jewellers conference in Germany a few weeks before his murder.

"He came back really upset, saying that someone – a rival entrepreneur, I think – was threatening him because of his plans. We think Mayka was told if she did the murder she would get three or four years," Korotaeva said.

After getting a job at his Gold Trader shop in Bristol, Bush began dating Kukucova in 2012. They had been dating for two years, news.com.au reported.

He met Maria, who was studying business and human resources in the UK, months after they broke up.

They flew to his five-bedroom villa in Estepona, 18 miles south of Marbella, for a romantic weekend in April 2014.

The two had gone out to dinner the night before the murder, and Bush had proposed to her 20 minutes before the incident.

However, the couple was never able to share their joy with their loved ones.

They were outside the house in Andy's Hummer, Maria remembered. She said she went in first and noticed dirty dishes on the table, which she realized weren't theirs.

She went to the second floor because she realized someone was in. Mayka was dressed in her pajamas when Maria arrived. It was the first time she had ever seen the woman, she said. Mayka, Maria continued, was emotionless when she looked at her.

Maria became terrified and cried. She then dashed outside and into her car. Andy went inside the house to meet with Kukucova while Maria remained in the Humvee.

She claims she couldn't call the cops because her phone's battery had died.

Maria then heard bangs inside the villa after ten minutes. She never heard gunshots before and claimed she had no idea what it was.

Maria only assumed it was just a large object falling down the stairs, like a suitcase.

Mayka emerged fully clothed, her hair in a ponytail, and a suitcase in her hand, Maria said.

Maria, who owns a real estate company and is also a singer and songwriter, says she was afraid Bush's ex-girlfriend would come after her.

She said she felt like her life was in jeopardy at the time. Maria went missing for three days without any idea where she was. According to Maria, she was the only one there.

She recalled she didn't have any security, guards, or police with her. Maria added she had a frightening experience.

Before turning herself into authorities, Wales Online said Maria drove through Europe to her hometown in Slovakia.

In May 2016, she was extradited to Spain and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The model's sentence was reduced to 13 years on appeal the following year. She said in her Malaga trial that she shot the gun in self-defense after Bush first assaulted her.

Her version of events, however, was unanimously dismissed by the jury.

Bush's daughter Ellie from his prior marriage to former BBC Bristol presenter Sam Mason was awarded £122,000 in damages by the court. Rachel, his sister, was also owed £30,500 by her.

There was no mention of a plot to assassinate Bush during the trial.

Maria fled to Tenerife after the murder before moving to the UK for a while. She has now returned to her native Russia, where she wrote her memoirs while in captivity.