THE IRISHMAN SHOT dead by police in Malta after allegedly murdering his former partner had a wide ranging presence online claiming to be a stock market trader and life coach.
Malta’s police commissioner Angelo Gafa told a press conference yesterday that Nicolette Ghirxi (48) had contacted police in April and May, after receiving insulting emails from her former partner 50-year-old Irishman Edward Johnston.
Police now believe Johnston, who is understood to be originally from Dublin, killed the woman at an apartment in Birkirkara in Valletta by slashing her throat. He then went to an area by the sea where he had a stand-off with police.
During this lengthy engagement he allegedly pointed a gun at police and he was shot dead. It was discovered after the shooting that the apparent firearm was a replica.
It is not his first time engaging in standoffs with police – the Times of Malta reported that the murder victim’s family had said Johnston was prosecuted in the UK for similar incidents.
An examination of court records show that this conviction is associated with a bomb hoax at a Glasgow restaurant in 2012 when he went to the business and ordered two glasses of wine. He then told a waiter that he had a bomb and to evacuate other customers from the restaurant.
A police standoff ensued and he was later arrested by officers – begging them to shoot and kill him. He was later sentenced to 28 months in prison.
It has emerged also that Johnston had carried out a similar incident the week prior, in Liverpool in February 2012. On that occasion he was carrying a toy Uzi style submachine gun and while drunk in the city centre he was cornered by armed police officers.
Evidence was given in court that he had told a witness that he was “either going to kill someone or get killed tonight”. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison which he served along with the Glasgow sentence.
Either way, Johnston appears to have continued with his life after prison.
In recent years he has popped up as a Youtuber and social media life coach using the name Edwardo Sambora, offering advice on how to become a successful freelance stock market trader.
Videos on his Youtube channel claim that he had been able to retire at 48 years old. The videos include self-help advice, claims that World War Three had started, and details on him moving to Palermo in Italy.
Another video shows him giving a motivational talk under the title “This is why you are a f%&king loser”. There a number of unconvincing videos of him alone in his kitchen making claims about how successful his life was.
On one of his Twitter accounts there are multiple posts – some looking at American politics, some commentary on Irish neutrality and criticism of Irish involvement in peacekeeping activities with the hashtag #IrelandFirst.
One of his Instagram accounts has various posts seeking to exhibit success.
These include selfies of him wearing suits and smoking cigars, pictures with expensive cars, visits to hotels and apparently expensive watches.
There are repeated Reels in which he speaks directly to the camera declaring how successful he is.
He has a history of using multiple aliases – but the most likely identity for the dead man is Edward Johnston who was living for a time in Whitson, Merseyside in the UK as well as Scotland and in Malta.
According to local media reports in Malta, Johnston used multiple social media profiles to harass Nicolette Ghirxi and boasted to her about being involved in a previous bomb threat in Glasgow, her family members have told Times of Malta.
Local reports also said he had claimed to people in Malta that he was a former soldier – The Journal checked with the Irish Defence Forces and a spokesperson said that there is no record of him serving with that organisation.
We have requested the same from the British Army however, as of yet, they have not been able to provide either confirmation or a denial.
Johnston, who appears to have been a father of one, had registered his Sambora Trading company in the UK. British Government records show that he was the sole employee and director.
The company is registered to a location in Motherwell, Lanarkshire in Scotland and Johnston is listed as a British national in the documentation. This may be further confirmed in a post on his social media in which he is seen posing in front of a British registered car.
He made regular declarations to British authorities on the company account – the of which was filed in February of this year.
The Maltese police have said they are now investigating the murder and subsequent shooting of Johnston by police. Part of that investigation is likely to focus on the Irish man’s past and how he found himself in the crosshairs of armed officers in Valletta.
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