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Date Published: 07/04/2025

Beckham's ex-bodyguard Craig Ainsworth found dead after going missing in Spain

The ex-Royal Marine posted an emotional farewell on Facebook days before his death

David Beckham’s former bodyguard Craig Ainsworth has been found dead in Spain after being reported missing.

Craig Ainsworth, around 40 years old, worked for the Beckhams between 2013 and 2015 while they lived in London’s Holland Park. A former Royal Marine who served in Afghanistan, he also protected other A-listers including Johnny Depp, Jennifer Lawrence and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Police had been searching for Craig in the Alicante and Barcelona areas after he went missing. His mother Sally had earlier posted an urgent appeal for information about his whereabouts. In the appeal, she revealed that her son, who had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In a later post on Facebook, she wrote: “Craig has been found. With the greatest sadness the world has lost Craig. He served in Afghanistan and he had PTSD.” She later shared a photo of him in uniform with the caption: “RIP Craig.”

Details around the exact circumstances of his death are not yet clear. However, before his disappearance, Craig posted an emotional farewell on Facebook.

He wrote: “Goodbye Beautiful People. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist; that is all.” Reflecting on the pain he had been experiencing since the lockdowns, he added: “Since lockdown destroyed everything I had built,” and described the loss of “eleven friends ... to suicide in just sixteen months.”

Craig had found new purpose after these devastating losses, dedicating himself to coaching others. He founded Virtuous Savage, a community designed to help individuals conquer mental health struggles and realise their untapped potential.

In his final message, Craig expressed his gratitude to those who had supported him through difficult times, saying: “You guys were the light that kept me going all this time, words are primitive when it comes to how grateful I am for you all.”

He also left a message for his beloved dogs, saying, “Lilo & Stitch - I”m sorry to abandon you, it breaks my heart but I will see you both on the other side where we can play forever x.”

Before joining the Beckhams, Ainsworth completed rigorous tests, including being pepper-sprayed and tackling an MMA fighter in the dark, to become a bodyguard. He also signed a 50-year non-disclosure agreement with the family.

He spoke briefly about the couple after the Netflix series on Beckham came out, commenting: “David was charming. Victoria kept to herself, she would be with the kids or working.

“With the spotlight they have been under, their kids are well behaved. To have that level of fame and maintain their family unit, they must be doing something right.”

In his memoir The Discombobulated Alpha, published in October 2023, Craig reflected on his journey from childhood to his time in the Marines and beyond. His life was described as a “rollercoaster of adventure,” from protecting the famous to his personal battles with mental health.

Craig’s final message on Facebook closed with: “I lived the life of ten men. I lived with a pure heart and good intentions. Certainly not a perfect person but I lived life that’s for sure.”

Image: VIRTUOUSSAVAGE/Facebook

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