Gardaí to conduct interviews in Iceland over Jónsson case
Gardaí are due to go to Iceland next week to interview a number of people as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Icelandic man Jón Jónsson, police in Iceland have confirmed.
The 41-year-old disappeared in Dublin while attending the Dublin Poker Festival with his partner in 2019.
He was last seen exiting the Bonnington Hotel and walking down the Swords Road past the entrance to Highfield Hospital, heading towards the Collins Avenue junction, on 9 February 2019.
In a statement, police in Iceland said gardaí would speak to around 35 people in Iceland in relation to the case.
They said police in Iceland would assist gardaí in their work.
Tips submitted to gardaí as a result of the 'Where is Jón?' podcast series from RTÉ and RÚV, the public service broadcaster in Iceland, resulted in new searches in April across a number of areas in Dublin with the assistance of human remains detection dogs.
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Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Missing Icelandic poker player Jon Jonsson lost €4,000 within hours of his arrival in Dublin, gardaí say
Mr Jonsson, a taxi driver, went missing on February 9, 2019, while attending the Dublin Poker Festival at the Regency Hotel (now renamed the Bonnington Hotel) on the northside of the city. Detective Superintendent Alan Brady led a delegation of five members of An Garda Síochána to the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, last week to interview 46 people who knew the father of four. Among those interviewed were convicted criminals, as well as the missing man's family, friends and associates in the poker world. Gambling is illegal in Iceland, and Mr Jonsson was heavily involved in the scene in his homeland. Det Supt Brady, who is attached to Ballymun garda station, said: 'We formally interviewed 46 people. We will now go home and assess all the information we received, which was worthwhile for the investigation. 'We interviewed Jon's friends, family members and poker players. We interviewed some convicted criminals who knew him. There has been a lot of rumour about what happened to Jon in Dublin — that his death was linked to the poker community here. Even rumours of a hitman. Gardaí say they haven't ruled anything out 'We believe that whatever happened to Jon, happened in Ireland. But we also think that the answers to what happened to him lie among the Icelandic community.' The senior officer said the investigation remains open and has not been upgraded to homicide. 'We haven't ruled anything out. We're still looking at everything from murder, to suicide or an accident of some kind,' he added. Mr Jonsson's fiancee Kristjana Gudjonsdottir had arrived in Dublin just a few hours before he disappeared, having missed the first day of the poker tournament. He left the hotel on foot at about 11am and was seen on camera by CCTV 200 metres away. Beyond that image, no trace of him has ever been uncovered, despite several intensive searches and gardaí following up more than 350 lines of enquiry. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more The 41-year-old did lose some money while playing poker in Dublin, but not a significant amount, Det Supt Brady said. 'Jon was playing poker in games where the buy-in was about €500. We believe he lost between €3,000 and €4,000. We've also established that the money he lost was sent over within a few hours from people in the poker scene in Iceland,' he said. 'It has been suggested to us by people that he could have come to some harm by people involved in criminality. We've followed up every avenue and there are lots of theories.' Gardaí also spoke to Mr Jonsson's family in Reykjavik. The family had previously criticised aspects of the garda investigation. 'We had meetings with some members of the family and also interviewed some of them. We built bridges. They have gone through huge heartbreak for the past six years. No family should have to go through that. We are here to try and get answers for them,' Det Supt Brady said. 'It is a joint investigation and the co-operation has been top class' 'Jon was a nice guy. He wouldn't harm a fly. He was a very big man but not an aggressive man. He was not an angry person. It doesn't appear feasible to us that he would have gotten into a fight.' Det Supt Brady praised the assistance gardaí received from the Icelandic police. 'It is a joint investigation and the co-operation has been top class. We sent a list to the Icelandic police investigators of the people we wanted to speak with, and we carried out 46 formal interviews out of the 58 people we identified,' he said. The Sunday Independent previously reported about how an imprisoned criminal in Iceland played an 'instrumental' role in communicating a dramatic version of events to Icelandic police — which, it was claimed, culminated in the murder of the taxi driver. In 2020, police in Iceland were told that Mr Jonsson was killed 'by accident' by a fellow countryman, after a falling out over squandered gambling money. His family, meanwhile, believe he may have been murdered by a paid hitman in a case of mistaken identity. It is being examined whether this potential hitman intended to target a different Icelandic man who was visiting Ireland at the time. In April, gardaí in Dublin carried out four new searches with cadaver dogs. This followed the receipt of new information, after RTÉ aired a podcast series on Mr Jonsson's disappearance. 'I would still appeal to anyone who attended that poker tournament, or with any information, to come forward to gardaí or the Icelandic police,' Det Supt Brady said.
Sunday World
a day ago
- Sunday World
Gardaí receive ‘key information' about disappearance of Icelandic man Jon Jonsson six years ago
A team of five detectives travelled to Iceland on Monday and are due to come back to Ireland today. Garda detectives have interviewed 45 people this week in Iceland in relation to the disappearance of Jon Jonsson. The case has not yet been upgraded to homicide and suicide has not yet been ruled out. A team of five detectives travelled to Iceland on Monday and are due to come back to Ireland today. Sources said the gardaí received 'key information' and are keeping a 'very open mind' about the disappearance of the 41-year-old, who was in Ireland to attend the Dublin Poker Festival when he went missing six years ago. We need to analyse every single detail – the clue to this is in Iceland A large number of females were interviewed as part of the process along with some suspected criminals. 'We need to analyse every single detail in the 45 statements that have been obtained – the clue to this is in Iceland,' a source told the Sunday World. The father of four disappeared after leaving the Bonnington Hotel on the Swords Road in north Dublin on February 9, 2019. Jon Jonsson seen leaving the Bonnington Hotel. Photo: Paul Sheridan News in 90 Seconds - June 28th The investigation is being led by Detective Superintendent Alan Brady of Ballymun garda station who made a public appeal earlier this week for information in the case. 'We came here to interview a large number of people who we think may have some information in relation to where Jon is,' Det Supt Brady said. 'We've also come here to appeal to the Icelandic public for help in finding Jon. 'We believe that whatever happened to Jon did happen to him in Dublin, but the answers to what happened to Jon may lie here amongst the Icelandic community.' Speaking to Icelandic media, Det Supt Brady said gardaí were trying to do everything they can to progress the investigation. No family should have to endure what they've gone through 'Jon's family have been going through heartbreak for the last six-and-a-half years,' he said. 'We're here to try and find answers for them. No family should have to endure what they've gone through.' The investigation into Mr Jonsson's disappearance has been stepped up in recent months. His family believe he may have been murdered by a paid hitman in a case of mistaken identity. One line of investigation is if the hitman intended to target a different Icelandic man visiting Ireland at the time. Gardaí believe there are people who may have knowledge of Mr Jonsson's disappearance who are not comfortable speaking to Icelandic police. They hope they will be more willing to speak to Irish officers. The Irish Independent understands that all 45 interviews conducted by gardaí this week were facilitated by Icelandic police. In April, gardaí in Dublin carried out four new searches with cadaver dogs after people provided information after RTÉ aired a documentary podcast series on Mr Jonsson's disappearance. Mr Jonsson left the hotel on foot at about 11am and was recorded by a security camera 200m away. Beyond those images, no trace of him has ever been uncovered. Since Mr Jonsson disappeared, gardaí have followed more than 350 lines of enquiry.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Irish Times
Jón Jónsson answers are in Iceland, not Ireland, his brother says
The brother of missing Icelandic man Jón Jónsson agrees with Garda detectives that the answers to his brother's disappearance six years ago lie in Iceland . The poker player had been in Ireland less than 24 hours when he disappeared after leaving the Bonnington Hotel in February 2019 during the Dublin Poker Festival. 'You would think the answers are in Iceland,' said Jón's brother, Davíð Karl Wiium. 'Probably something prior to his disappearance has something to do with his disappearance.' Five gardaí have come to Reykjavik for the first time this week to work on the case, a development that is welcomed by Wiium and his family. Gardaí are working closely with members of the Icelandic police. 'We are very happy that they're here. It's a huge milestone in the case. It's been six years,' Wiium said. READ MORE He hopes that in Iceland, gardaí will get answers that will point them in the right direction. 'I hope, by coming here, the Irish police can get a better understanding of what he was doing before he came to Ireland. Look into his closest surroundings, talk with people of interest, the family, friends,' Wiium said. 'You get to know the person. You get to know what he was doing, and where he was before, and what he was involved in.' [ 'I'm almost certain something happened': Family fear missing Jón Jónsson was killed by hitman in case of mistaken identity Opens in new window ] Wiium met gardaí in Reykjavik this week as they began to take statements in Iceland. He has felt momentum pick up in the case again with recent media appearances such as The Late Late Show, which the family appeared on in March. A podcast series on Jónsson's disappearance also came out in January. 'We really felt the snowball rolling,' Wiium said, adding that the podcast has given the family extra strength. 'It has probably been the most positive impact from the beginning. It was like an extra push that we needed after a long, long time.' Where is Jón?/Hvar er Jón? is a co-production between RTÉ and Icelandic broadcaster RÚV. It delves into Jón's background over seven episodes, through interviews with his family and friends. Jón's family welcomed the podcast's focus on Jón's case and hoped it would bring them answers. Wiium said it was important also that the podcast 'portrayed Jón as who he is. He was a really good man, a great person and father that coincidentally started playing poker a couple of years before he disappeared.' Wiium said his brother had been looking forward to the tournament and remembers him speaking about it for weeks beforehand. 'I know he really wanted to be a poker player. He was not a sports guy. He was into board games, poker, video games, that kind of stuff. And he wanted to be really good at poker.' He speaks of a man who was always there for everyone. 'A 'family comes first' kind of man. So it's very much out of character.' The toll it has taken on Jón's family has been immense. 'It's hard for everyone. It's a big family, and emotionally it's hard. When you have someone disappearing very close to you, it starts to tear you up inside. It always creeps back. It's always there.' 'We just really want to find him, and hopefully figure out what happened.'
