The British teenager 'killed by his twin brother during stupid argument

A British teenager has admitted killing his twin brother over a ‘stupid argument’ at their home in Spain.

Ryan Goodman, 19, had fought with twin Michael in February last year after their mother shouted at them over money that had gone missing from her purse.

The twins, believed to originally be from Northampton, blamed each other for stealing the money. 


The fight ended in tragedy when Ryan pushed Michael, who fell against a doorknob and hit his head, dying instantly.

Terrified on seeing his brother had no pulse, Ryan dragged Michael’s body out of the family’s country villa near Valencia, an area popular with ex-pats.

He hid the body beneath undergrowth in a ditch just ten metres from their front door.

Michael’s decomposed body was only found in April this year when a wild asparagus picker stumbled across the remains. DNA testing confirmed his identity.

Police had questioned Ryan and his grandfather David, 62, several times about Michael’s disappearance, believing Mr Goodman was covering for his grandson, local reports said.

Appearing at court in the nearby town of Xativa last week, Ryan told the investigating judge that it had been an accident and he was very sorry:

I loved my brother and had no intention of killing him,’ he said, adding that he had hidden the body because he was ‘very scared’ of the consequences.

The judge remanded him to the custody of youth criminal services because he had been 17 years old when the crime was committed.

He will spend six months in a juvenile detention centre while he awaits trial.

Neighbours told Spanish press the twins shared a room in a small building near to where the animals slept in the courtyard of the country house, while their mother and grandfather stayed in the main house.

The twins and their two younger siblings, also believed to be twins, were attending school in the nearby town of Vallada.

Headteacher of the IES Secondary School, Jose Miguel Martinez, posted a message on the school’s website saying: ‘Although it has been two years since Michael left the school, there are still many here who knew him personally.

‘Those that shared class with him knew him as a good person. It’s a terrible misfortune that his life has been cut short in such a tragic way.’

A spokesman for the British Embassy said: ‘We are aware of the arrest of a British national and we are offering consular assistance to the family.’