Missing Maddie – Investigation To Stop? Update July 1, 2008

There are reports in the Portuguese media today that the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is to be dropped. These reports have not been confirmed by the Portuguese authorities.

It is has been stated in the media that the inquiry would stop because the Policia Judiciaria report on the investigation is only ‘descriptive of the facts’ meaning that it has not reached any conclusion as to whether they were investigating an abduction, murder or concealment of a body. Other sources have said that the case would remain open without further investigation unless new evidence was found.

The final report is expected to go to the Ministerio Publico in Portimao in the next few days for a decision to be made.

It is also not certain that Kate McCann, Gerry McCann or Robert Murat will have their arguido (formal suspect) status lifted.

A spokesman for the McCann’s has said that at present they would not give any views until such time as they are told that the case has been officially dropped.

They would also like access to the files held by the PJ for their own investigators to continue their own lines of inquiry in the search for missing Maddie. The McCann’s have applied to the Family Division of the High Court for access to police files on the various reported sightings.

The judge, Mrs, Justice Hogg will decide whether the case and judgement will be made in public or not on July 7. British police have kept to their agreement with their Portuguese counterparts not to disclose any information regarding the investigations and interviews that have been carried out.

Madeleine McCann went missing from the family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, but secrecy laws in Portugal led to much speculation by the media, most of which was pure speculation and not based on fact or evidence.

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Timeline and Update June 20, 2008

Missing Maddie – Latest News October 29th

It has been reported that DNA tests on hair samples taken from missing Madeleine McCann’s twin siblings, Sean and Amelie, show no signs of any form of sedative having been used.  This gives added strength to the denial of sedatives having been given to the children by Kate and Gerry McCann.

Last week the McCann’s set up a new hotline staffed by private detectives in a new bid to help find missing Maddie.  The new appeal is concentrating on Portugal, Spain and north Africa as they believe that these are the most likely locations where Maddie may be.  In the first 3 days the hotline received 400 calls.

The new appeal has the full backing of the Portuguese and UK investigators.  The McCann’s have also welcomed the fresh approach taken by Paulo Rebelo, who is now heading the investigation in Portugal. 

However, the Portuguese press launched yet another scathing attack on the McCann’s stating that the whole appearance on Spanish TV was staged.  The newspaper involved employed a psychiatrist to analyse the recording who stated that the whole episode was staged and there was no sign of any emotion.

A new picture was released last week, drawn by a British forensic artist and based on evidence given by Jane Tanner, who has said that she saw a man carrying a child.  Although she told Portuguese police at the time, no e-fit was ever issued and it was never followed up properly.

The FBI trained expert spent several hours with Jane Tanner to ensure that the description was correct.  Jane is reported as having seen a man hurrying away from the holiday complex carrying a child.  The man is described as approx. 5ft 6in tall, aged about 35, of slim build and with dark hair curling around his collar.  He was wearing a maroon shirt, camel coloured trousers and black or brown shoes. 

There is no facial detail as Jane Tanner did not get a clear view of the man’s face as he hurried away.  Again, this is something that was done with the approval of the Portuguese investigators. 

It has also emerged that Kate and Gerry McCann’s interviews carried out by the Policia Judiciaria were not recorded.  In Portugal this is not something that is done as a matter of routine as it is in the UK, and it also adds to fears that written records could be manipulated. 

It appears that statements given were written down, then translated, typed and then re-translated, so it is also possible that because of differences in languages that interpretations could also vary.

A team of private detectives who are also investigating Maddie’s disappearance, believe that maddie was abducted ‘to order’ by pedophiles and then taken to Morocco.

The private detectives have a vast amount of information at their disposal and are working from Barcelona.   They are believed to be creating a list of Portuguese pedophiles and then sending agents to track their movements before and after Maddies disappearance.

This has been regarded as the first credible theory of what happened on the night of May 3rd, by one of Europe’s leading private investigation companies.

Portuguese investigators are still planning on re-interviewing all of the McCann’s friends who were at the holiday complex in Praia da Luz, and are still waiting on further DNA test results from UK scientists.

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Missing Maddie – Latest News October 23

Portuguese detectives are to travel to the UK to re-interview the McCann’s friends who were present when Madeleine went missing.  It is believed that officers from the Leicestershire police will carry out the interviews using questions written by the Portuguese team. 

Those to be re-interviewed are Rachael and Matthew Oldfield, Jane Tanner, Russell O’Brien, David and Fiona Payne, and Mrs Payne’s mother, Dianne Webster. 

Portuguese sources are also saying that DNA found in the car hired by the family after Maddie’s disappearance indicates that a body had been in the vehicle.  Apparently, this was found on the underside of carpet in the boot of the car.  Further testing is still being carried out in the UK by the Forensic Science Services.

It has also been reported that investigators have seized the laptop used by Gerry McCann and that Judge Pedro Frias has given authorisation for them to access the contents, which is required under Portugal’s secrecy laws.  The Judge has also given permission to seize Kate McCann’s diary and other personal items used by the couple.

It is understood that the laptop was loaned to Gerry McCann by a local shop and not his own personal machine.  A spokesman for the family has said that there would only be a few notes and telephone numbers on it and that it had rarely been used.  It has also been reported that Gerry’s own personal laptop, which he took to Portugal, has not been seized.

Meanwhile, police divers and search teams have been searching the forest and isolated villas surrounding the Barragem da Bravura dam.  

A former Scotland Yard Chief has said that the Policia Judiciaria have mishandled the case from the outset.  The apartment was not sealed off and preserved for forensic analysis and many items were removed prior to any forensic tests being done.

Forensic experts have also found that some of the evidence collected had been contaminated by cigarette ash from detectives in the apartment.

Chief Inspector Antonio Teixeira, Portugal’s top murder investigator, has now joined the team in Praia da Luz.  The Policia Judiciaria believe that this shows that this is a murder investigation and that the McCann’s are still the main suspects.

A British DNA expert has stated that had the apartment been sealed at the outset of this investigation, and proper forensic evidence obtained, it may well have proved the McCann’s innocence.  It was also revealed that large rubbish bins around the holiday complex were also emptied as normal on the night of Maddie’s disappearance, and these may have also held some vital clues.

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Missing Maddie – Latest News October 16th

It has been revealed that investigators have found no clues on computers seized in last weeks raids on pedophiles in which 150 computers were taken for analysis. 

Investigators found that the perverts had distorted the images and computer experts used image treatment programming to redefine the pictures finding many of small blond girls similar to missing Madeleine, but none of the pictures were of her.

Paulo Rebelo, who is now heading the case, was hoping for a breakthrough in the case after raiding known perverts homes.  He has also called in six police experts to look into previous aspects of the case and to look for anything that may have been overlooked.

Alípio Ribeiro, the national director of the Polícia Judiciária, said last week that all lines of inquiry were open after it was reported that police had failed to identify DNA samples and fingerprints found at the apartment where Madeleine disappeared and could not trace some mobile phone calls made in the area.

Further searches are to be carried out in and around Praia da Luz, including a  nearby reservoir, the coast from Praia da Luz to Burgau, the area between the holiday complex and the beach and the forest and isolated villas surrounding the Barragem da Bravura dam.  Police divers are expected to start searching the reservoir this week whilst other officers search the surrounding forests, which had not been thoroughly searched in the earlier investigations.

DNA test results from hair and body fluids have now been passed from the Forensic Science Services in the UK to Portugese police.  Portugese media say that investigators expect the results to be of great significance, but UK sources state that they are by no means conclusive.

New evidence has come to light to prove that Maddie was still alive when she went missing.  It has been reported that Kate McCann put her children to bed and tucked them in, yet when it was found that Maddie had gone, the bedclothes were not ruffled.  This means that she would have been carefully taken from the bed and not climbed out, as a young child would not have got out without moving anything.

Kate and Gerry McCann are said to be encouraged by the new impetus given to the investigation following the appointment of Paulo Rebelo, but are also dismayed that Portugese police are focusing on searching for a body. 

The McCann’s remain optimistic that their daughter is still alive, and a spokesman has said that in the event of a body being found it could eliminate them as suspects in the case.

Meanwhile, Robert Murat, the only other suspect in the case,  expects to be cleared within weeks unless the District Attorney increases the time limit.

As with the Azaria Chamberlain case, it is not unusual for the mother to become a suspect in these cases.  Witch hunts seem, sadly, not to be a thing of the past.

At the present time there is still no concrete proof that the McCann’s had any involvement in their daughter’s disappearance.  There are many who willingly jump on the bandwagon and have already found them guilty.  Yet there is no proof as to whether they were involved or not.

Many are quick to judge, whereas we should all wait and see what evidence is provided. 

None of us are in a position to make an informed decision.

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.

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Timeline & Update June 2008