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Original poster

Madeleine McCann - new suspect

999 replies

KatherineJaneway · 03/06/2020 19:24

A 43-year-old German prisoner who travelled around Portugal in a camper van is now the focus of Scotland Yard's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52914016]

OP posts:
BeltaneBride · 04/06/2020 18:14

I'm amazed this thread is allowed to stand -used to banned on MN as there were so many people accusing the McCanns and the Tapas 7 of neglecting their DC.

Zug2 · 04/06/2020 18:15

Hopefully the person or persons who they believe has more information will now come forward, knowing the guy is already in prison, so unable to intimidate them.

Hopefully they can find answers to what happened to her.

Christinayangtwistedsister · 04/06/2020 18:16

I just hope there is some closure

LetsJustGetOnWithIt · 04/06/2020 18:17

Although I've always believed Madeleine did probably and very sadly die on that day 13 years ago, I do find it so sad to hear it said with such imminent finality.
I cannot imagine how this must feel to them to hear these reports.

All that said I did hope she was ok and there would be a positive outcome, however unlikely that might be .

TartanTexan · 04/06/2020 18:20

They’ve released a phone number that the suspect called that night in the hope they come forward (?).

Heygirlheyboy · 04/06/2020 18:22

They've surely rung the number and it must not exist anymore? Hopefully someone might know the number even to identify the other caller.

TartanTexan · 04/06/2020 18:23

Yes, that’s what they’re hoping, I imagine.

Haenow · 04/06/2020 18:25

The rights and wrongs of leaving children in a hotel room have been debated for 13 years. This is a very serious potential lead and I really don’t think the debate needs to continue endlessly, especially at this point. The family may be about to receive beyond horrific news. I hope they can all get some sort of closure, although obviously I cannot imagine how.

xsquared · 04/06/2020 18:27

Not read the whole thread but I only want to say that I hope the McCanns get closure one way or another. It's been too long for them.

saveeno · 04/06/2020 18:29

I'm guessing the number is from a pay as you go phone. Anonymous I think, open to correction.

If from a paid monthly etc. they would know who it was.

BonnesVacances · 04/06/2020 18:30

Where is your compassion or kindness?

It makes people feel more secure in their own parenting.

This ^^. It's true for most things. Sickness, poverty, unemployment. If people blame conscious action for it, it makes them feel they're protected from it as long as they don't make the same 'wrong' decisions.

Frankly, anyone who has anything other than compassion for any parent whose child has been missing or has potentially died needs to have a long hard look at themselves in the mirror. Especially if they're parents themselves. It shows a rather unpleasant side.

Swiftsseason · 04/06/2020 18:31

Not read thread but isn't this the man alluded to in the net flix documentary!? The strange man in mask who broke into people's homes?

Anyway... My feeling, which means nothing to any of you is that it's this man.

He had wigs in his home and that also seems consistent with the odd hair we saw in the sketches of a man with dark hair carrying her away...

PennyNotSoWise · 04/06/2020 18:33

@peaceanddove

From what I have read, a burglar broke into the suspects house and stole some videos, among other things. When he saw what was on the videos he went to the police. This led to him being convicted of raping the 72 year old American woman. I wonder if the police know Madeleine is also on those videos and that's why they know how she died Sad
They wouldn't be asking for people to come forward if they had video evidence of it happening.
caperberries · 04/06/2020 18:35

Hopefully, the police have some conclusive evidence. As I recall, there was no unaccounted-for DNA in the apartment and only the parent's fingerprints were found on the windowsills.

FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue · 04/06/2020 18:36

I hope the posters who made comments along the lines of 'oh it's just because the UK police want their funding to be extended' now feel a bit small and sorry as it's revealed that it's a German police investigation that has prompted this, with a lot of very specific evidence being made public.

Smallsteps88 · 04/06/2020 18:37

I think then number called him rather than him calling the number. It was around an hour before Madeline went missing. Not sure if the police know where the other caller was when they called him. They know from his phone that he was in the vicinity of the apartment.

Noworrieshere · 04/06/2020 18:37

I'm thinking of the McCann family tonight

FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue · 04/06/2020 18:37

As I recall, there was no unaccounted-for DNA in the apartment and only the parent's fingerprints were found on the windowsills.
Which fits with the current suspect who is a known burglar of hotel rooms, who no doubt wore gloves.

FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue · 04/06/2020 18:39

It must be a continuing nightmare for the parents, I hope they find peace.

Jourdain11 · 04/06/2020 18:42

IIRC from that documentary, was there not another parent who came into their child's room and found a man? Or that the child cried out and said to the parents that a man had been there? Forgotten the details from the documentary, which I think I had on in the background while catching up on admin!!

chubbyhotchoc · 04/06/2020 18:43

@Deadringer that's a terrible story

BrieAndChilli · 04/06/2020 18:45

I. Any see if it is him how she could still be alive. If he’s in prison then she’s not in a cellar somewhere being held by him (or if she was she’s dead now with no one to feed her. I think unfortunately because it was such a high profile case and she was splashed everywhere whoever took her would have got rid of her as soon as they could. She was too hot to keep alive.

PennyNotSoWise · 04/06/2020 18:46

They've surely rung the number and it must not exist anymore? Hopefully someone might know the number even to identify the other caller.

I had a read on a reddit thread earlier and apparently the number now is linked to a 15 year olds snapchat/social media accounts. Of course that may not be true, but if it is I hope he isn't going to be subject to harassment.

Phone providers recycle numbers if they're inactive for a period of time, so there have likely been many people since that have had that number.

I really hope they can track who had it at the time though.

DeRigueurMortis · 04/06/2020 18:50

I'm shocked (but sadly not surprised given previous threads) at some of the posts here.

So much insensitivity.

I can't help think people simply forget there is a real family we are talking about here who've endured one of the worst things that can ever happen to anyone.

Rather they'd share conspiracy theories and continue castigate the parents for what G&K already know was the worst mistake of their lives.

I'm torn about this news.

On one hand if the lead pans out it could hopefully bring closure to the family, but at the same time if this is the person then outlook for Madeline's fate is bleak.

KeepingTwoChevronsApart · 04/06/2020 18:50

What is the very specific evidence being released? As far as I can make out, someone drunk told his mate he knew what happened to her and he was in the resort at the same time and used his phone. Doesn't mean he did it but could know who did I guess