Missing Maddie – Latest News 20th January

Police files on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are likely to remain secret for another three months, according to the spokesman for the girl’s parents. Lawyers for official suspect Robert Murat are seeking to have the files opened up because it is now eight months since he was named as an “arguido”.

But on Friday, Portuguese detectives asked for the case’s secrecy limit to be extended beyond the usual eight-month limit that starts once police have identified a formal suspect.

A spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, said the couple expected authorities to agree to the extension. He went on to say that they are working on the basis that there will be another three months of official secrecy.

Portuguese law prevents the McCanns from speaking about police investigations into the disappearance of their daughter.

Madeleine vanished from the family’s holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on May 3.

Robert Murat, a British man who lives near the apartment from which Madeleine disappeared, has denied any involvement in the case. Asked whether his client would be cleared of his status as a formal suspect, his lawyer said that he didn’t know anything, but would like the arguido status to be lifted.

On Sunday 13th January, a five-year-old girl went missing from Huelva, on the Spanish border, 120 miles from where Maddie disappeared.

Mari Luz Cortes’s family believe she was kidnapped outside her home in Huelva, 25 miles from the border with Portugal. Mari was last seen at a sweet stall 100 yards from her home on Sunday afternoon after going to buy a packet of crisps from a local shop. Her family, who raised the alarm after searching for her themselves when she failed to return, are said to fear she has been abducted.

Officers have been scouring the area for the girl, and Portuguese police have also been carrying out searches on their side of the border.

The McCanns’ spokesman has said there were ‘comparisons’ that could be made, but also said that it was too early to say if the two cases were linked. He added that detective agency Metodo 3 are working very closely with the Spanish police in the first instance, and with the family to establish whether there are any links or similarities

Meanwhile, investigators in Portuguese are planning to re-interview friends of the McCanns. The friends were on holiday with the McCann family in Praia da Luz when Maddie vanished. They are key witnesses in the case and reports claim Portuguese detectives are prepared to fly to the UK to sit in on fresh questioning of them by British police.

Portuguese authorities are also seeking the assistance of a Europe-wide body in securing the help of the authorities in Britain. The Portuguese public prosecutor contacted Eurojust – the judicial co-operation agency – at the beginning of January. A spokesman for Eurojust has confirmed that they have been asked to be the go-between for the Portuguese and the UK authorities, but will not be releasing any details.

A new sketch of the man who could be behind the abduction of Madeleine McCann has been revealed. A police artist drew the likeness after a Sunday tabloid tracked down a holidaymaker, Gail Cooper, who reported seeing a ‘creepy man’ hanging around the apartments in Praia da Luz, Portugal, prior to the abduction on May 3 last year, and it has also been revealed that a 12-year-old girl, has come forward to back up her story.

The photofit shows a man with long hair, bushy eyebrows and a moustache.

A friend of the McCanns – Jane Tanner – who gave a description to police of someone she spotted carrying a child from the Algarve resort on the night Madeleine vanished – told the paper the new picture resembled the man she saw.

The McCanns’ spokesman has said that the image had been passed to police and the family believe the picture could be an important breakthrough in the hunt for Madeleine.

Portuguese police have known about Gail Cooper’s description since May, but it has only now been made public after the McCann’s own investigators began to re-interview witnesses.

Missing Maddie – Latest News November 8th

Kate and Gerry McCann have been given fresh hope that their daughter Madeleine is alive after learning of the discovery of a bag of clothes with a possible DNA link to their daughter.

The items are reported to have been found just over two weeks ago in a lay-by near Faro Airport in Portugal, an hour’s drive from Praia Da Luz where the four-year-old went missing on May 3.

It is understood the contents included a child’s T-shirt, a pencil case, a shower curtain, adult jeans and a blue fleece, and were handed to the Policia Judiciaria who passed it on to the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham.

After 10 days of analysis, experts there are said to have found traces of hair and skin with a partial DNA match to Madeleine on the adult clothes.

A spokesman for the McCann’s said that they could not comment on yet another speculative report, but trust that the police will follow up any potential lead that could indicate that Maddie was abducted.

A Spanish private detective hired by Gerry and Kate McCann has vowed to find missing Madeleine within five months. Francisco Marco has said that he believes the four-year-old is alive in Morocco and is already following up reported sightings of a blonde-haired girl with her distinctive right eye.

The detective’s Spanish-based agency, Metodo 3, has been employed by the McCann’s on a six-month agreement to assist in the search for missing Maddie. The agency employs a team of 40 and have interviewed the McCann’s at length, coming to the conclusion that there is a case and they are convinced that Kate and Gerry McCann were not implicated in their daughters disappearance.

Mr.Marco is quoted as saying that that his team of specialists have assured him that the McCann’s are not hiding anything and he would not risk the prestige that his agency has gained over 23 years without being convinced there is a case.

Mr Marco, a father of two, also believes Madeleine was stolen to order from the family’s holiday villa in the Algarve.

The detective’s team has already investigated a sighting in Morocco of a blonde girl with the same distinctive mark in one eye as Madeleine but has so far failed to find Maddie.

The McCann’s hopes were raised in September when a Spanish tourist took a photograph in the remote hillside village of Zinat, northern Morocco, of a blonde girl who looked like Madeleine.

Madeleine McCann suspect Robert Murat is said to be “absolutely not worried” despite a reported move by detectives to re-interview him.

Paulo Rebelo, who heads the police inquiry, ordered a fresh interrogation of the Briton following his first inspection of the Portuguese holiday apartment from where Maddie went missing.

Murat, whose villa is just yards from the spot where Madeleine was abducted on May 3, has always denied any involvement in the four-year-old’s disappearance. He was made an official suspect in the case 10 days after Maddie went missing, but has not spoken to police for nearly three months.

The Portuguese press has reported that authorities are convinced that samples of hair and body fluid found in Murat’s house are those of Madeleine and that many clues pointed to the presence of Madeleine in that house.

Murat is one of three formal suspects in the Madeleine McCann investigation along with the child’s parents, Gerry and Kate.

Paulo Rebelo, recently appointed new head of the investigation, is said to have examined windows at the McCann’s former holiday apartment in Praia da Luz and paced out all possible escape routes during his inspection of the property. He is also reported to have walked the 100 yards to the villa Murat shares with his mother.

Gerry McCann has returned to work saying he had done everything he could to ensure the search for his daughter Madeleine goes on. Mr McCann, who has been on unpaid leave, will begin a phased return, starting on three half-days a week.

A Spanish newspaper has reported that two of the McCann’s friends who were on holiday with them, want to change their statements about the events of the evening of May 3^rd. Four of the group are also concerned about being made official suspects in the case too, but these reports are uncorroborated.

The media appear to have backed off slightly with their campaign against the McCann’s but publish just enough to keep it going without sufficient evidence or proof of any kind to make some bold accusations.

Portuguese police are still waiting on results of some tests carried out by the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham. Results received so far have proved inconclusive but also means that investigators are entirely reliant on the FSS tests to provide any DNA breakthrough in the case.

Portuguese investigators have also said that it would take a miracle for them to build a case against the McCann’s and the Portuguese public prosecutor has said he would not ask for them to be re-interviewed as there was not enough evidence to implicate them in any wrong doing.

Two officers from Portugal’s Guarda Nacional Republicana have also blamed their bosses for not securing the apartment in the first hours of the investigation. They have said that vital evidence would have been lost with so many people going in and out of the apartment.

Related posts:
Timeline & Update June 2008
Update July 2008

Missing Maddie – Latest News October 12th

Portugese police have arrested 80 suspected pedophiles in Portugal as well as seizing 150 computers in the countries biggest ever child exploitation crackdown. 

They are now sifting through tens of thousands of files on the computers in their search for clues.

With a new leader heading the teams investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, there has been a shift in the investigation.

The head of the team, Paulo Rebelo, has also asked for fingerprints and DNA samples to be taken from all UK holidaymaker’s in the resort at Praia da Luz at the time of Maddie’s disappearance. 

German and Dutch police have also been asked to trace holidaymaker’s who were at the resort on May 3rd and to interview them in the hunt for vital clues.

This comes after new evidence of a possible kidnapper was found following the recent reconstruction of events at the holiday apartment by police teams.  The focus now seems to be reverting back to the theory that Maddie was kidnapped on the night of May 3rd. 

The apartment has been unoccupied since August when sniffer dogs used by British investigators found DNA samples and other clues.

Although senior investigators suspect that Maddie’s parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, were involved in their daughters disappearance, a judge refused to recall them to Portugal for re-questioning as there was insufficient evidence to warrant their return to the Algarve.

Meanwhile, Maddie’s parents have reacted furiously to claims that Gerry is not Maddie’s biological father.   The claims were published in the Portugese media, quoting police sources as saying that 4 year-old Maddie has a different biological father and therefore any DNA evidence found could not be explained as coming from the twins, Sean and Amelie.

The McCann’s have previously stated that they had IVF treatment in the UK before conceiving Maddie, and again in Holland for the twins.  They remain adamant that Gerry is the biological father of all three children.

The reports also claim that this would be significant and Maddie would have a different DNA pattern to other family members.  They have also wildly claimed that UK officials found the biological father and have excluded him from the inquiry!!

The McCann’s are now considering taking legal action against those responsible for publishing these reports as soon as they are no longer considered suspects in the case.

The final DNA test results are expected to be passed to Portugese police early next week.  Sources are claiming that investigators are waiting to learn whether hair samples came from a corpse and whether there is any proof of Maddie being sedated.

There have been many rumours over the past few months, and there is still very little factual, concrete evidence.  Much of what is being reported in the media is rumor and speculation, quoting the Portugese police as the source of information.

Missing Maddie – Latest News October 8th

Last week Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral was removed from the investigation into the disappearance of 4 year-old Madeleine McCann and demoted to Inspector. It appears that there is no one willing to take over his post in what has become a high profile case for the Portugese.

Yesterday Amaral was summoned to to the Regional Police Headquarters in Faro following his attack on the McCann’s and the British Police, accusing them of assisting the McCann’s in the cover up of their daughters disappearance.

Chief Inspector Tavares Almeida was expected to take over from Amaral, as he was his deputy, but has requested an extended leave of absence, lasting between one month and a year, usually used for studying or training and this is unlikely to be denied.

Guilhermino Encarnacao, who is currently director of the Policia Judiciaria in Faro, or Carlos do Carmo the previous director of Policia Judiciaria in Portimao are said to be favourites to replace Mr Amaral as the head of the PJ in Portimao.

This has left the number of Portugese police investigating the case to less than 30, and without a leader.

It has also been reported in the British media that Leicestershire police also believe that Maddie is dead after specially trained sniffer dogs came across the scent of death in the holiday apartment used by the family in Praia da Luz.

However, Leicestershire police deny this and say that they are happy to liaise with their Portugese counterparts and assist them in any way they can.

The UK based Forensic Science Service, which is carrying out the DNA tests, have said that so far all tests are inconclusive, there is no evidence to show that Madeleine is dead or that she was drugged. They are continuing with more complex tests, and deny claims that they are withholding information from the Portugese investigators.

Given the lack of positive DNA results, it is unlikely that either of the McCann’s will face any charges. Although they remain suspects, along with Robert Murat, the Portugese can keep them as suspects for 8 months and then apply for a 4 month extension.

Over the weekend it was claimed that the McCann’s had called in Daniel Krugel, a former South African detective, with a record for finding missing children. It is believed that he spent 4 days searching in and around Praia da Luz in July.

He believes that he has followed the route taken by Maddie from the apartment, through paths and roads leading to a nearby beach. He then drew a map and handed this to investigators who searched the area on two occasions, but found no tangible evidence of any kind and has said that there is a slight possibility that she could be alive.

Kate and Gerry McCann believe that Krugel’s findings show that Maddie was abducted and placed on a boat, whereas the Portugese media see this as her body being placed on a boat and then dumped at sea.

The results in Praia da Luz crucially match many other parts of the investigation which all point to Madeleine being abducted and still being alive on the night she disappeared.

It should be stressed that the Portugese Investigators were aware of Krugel’s search at the time and followed up his findings.

Interesting fact: last year in Portugal, 31 children disappeared without trace and there was very little effort put in by the police to find them.

A Portugese tourism official has said that the investigation into Maddie’s disappearance has caused a lot of resentment amongst the locals, especially as the Algarve relies on tourists being drawn to the region, including dozens of known British paedophiles that are known to have visited the area.

This case echoes that of Michael and Lindy Chamberlain whose daughter Azaria was taken by dingo’s in central Australia in 1980. Lindy Chamberlain has always insisted a dingo took nine-week-old Azaria from the family’s tent, but was convicted of Azaria’s murder in 1982 amid intense public and media speculation, but was exonerated six years later.

Related post:

Timeline & Update June 2008

Missing Maddie – Spotted in Morocco?

Update 6:30pm September 26th

It is now believed that the recent photo taken by a tourist in Morocco is NOT missing Madeleine McCann.  The child is thought to be the daughter of an olive farmer in Morocco.The McCann’s spokesman has said that it is disappointing news but the search will continue.Meanwhile, private investigators are believed to be working on the case outside of Portugal, as they are not allowed to carry out private investigations within Portugal. 3:30pm September 26th

There is new speculation that missing Madeleine McCann may be in Morocco. There have been several sightings reported throughout Europe since her disappearance on May 3rd.

There were two previous sightings in Marrakech, Morocco , both on  May 9th by different people and reports were made to the local police and to the Portugese Investigators.  

A third sighting followed later in the same month in the north of Morocco.  No news of these sightings were released to the press at the time. 

It has now emerged that there is a fourth sighting in Morocco 25 days ago by a Spanish tourist in the town of Zinat, and there is also a photograph taken on a digital camera of a small, light skinned, blonde girl being carried on an elderly woman’s back. 

The picture is now being analysed by experts and is also expected to be analysed by photographic experts from the UK based Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) who are also reported to be scouring many other photographs taken by holidaymakers who were in the Algarve at the time of Maddie’s disappearance. 

Maddie’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann have made no comment on the recent photograph as it is reported that they are waiting for some kind of verification first as there have been many false sightings.

Although they were named as suspects in the case by Portugese Investigators, they have maintained their innocence and a new poster campaign is underway throughout Europe to raise awareness and keep the search for their missing daughter going.