Did They Finally Solve the Madeleine McCann Case? The Twists That Still Leave Everyone Guessing

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This is the final installment of a three-part series. Read parts one and two here.

On September 9, 2007, when Kate and Gerry McCann returned home, they informed the swarm of reporters observing their departure from Portugal that them leaving did not imply in any way that they had stopped searching for their daughter Madeleine McCann, who had been missing for four months.

In her 2011 book “Madeleine,” Kate noted that they felt hesitant to leave, but returning to their lives in England was considered the proper and just decision for their twins, Sean and Amelie, who were only two years old at the time and unaware of the tragic event that had occurred. Nine days after Madeleine’s disappearance on May 12, her fourth birthday was celebrated solemnly.

On the 28th of April, the McCann family and three other groups had set off for a sunny vacation at the family-oriented Ocean Club in Praia da Luz. Their plan was to return home by May 5th.

Upon returning to the English village of Rothley, Gerry, a cardiology specialist, and Kate, a part-time GP, found themselves suspects in the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine, as Portugal’s Judiciary Police implied that Kate might have concealed Madeleine’s body following an accident within their apartment.

The McCanns consistently asserted their innocence, both in the past and moving forward, and pledged to continue searching for answers, holding onto hope that eventually the truth would be revealed – regardless of whether it aligned with their desired outcome.

Despite the hardships and setbacks they faced, it was essential for Kate and Gerry to maintain some sense of normality in their lives, considering they had two older children, Sean (19) and Amelie.

In this rephrased sentence, I’ve tried to make it more conversational while keeping the original meaning intact.

As time passed, things gradually grew less challenging, although they never quite reached a state of complete normality and pleasure, as the couple described on their blog in 2024.

On the 18th anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance, Kate and Gerry posted an update on their ‘Find Madeleine’ site, expressing that time seems to be moving faster than ever. However, they have no new developments to report at this time. What remains constant is their relentless pursuit to leave no stone unturned in the search for Madeleine, a commitment they continue to uphold with all their effort.

This month would have also been their oldest child’s 22nd birthday, they pointed out. “Regardless of distance, she remains close to our hearts, present with us each day, but even more so on her special occasion. We continue to honor and cherish her as the wonderfully unique individual she was. We deeply miss her.

Their recent communication pertains to the upcoming release of Christian Brueckner, a suspect linked to Madeleine’s disappearance (named in 2020 without any charges related to this case), from the German prison where he is currently serving his sentence for raping an elderly woman in Portugal in 2005.

He is set to be released in September following his acquittal on five separate sexual misconduct charges from last year, as reported by BBC News. However, the prosecution has chosen to file an appeal.

However, in 2007, the PJ (Police Judiciaria) still had queries for everyone who had joined the McCann family on their tragic holiday. None of their friends were ever labeled as suspects, but this didn’t prevent them from feeling like they were being implicated in something.

The group consisting of Matthew and Rachael Oldfield, David and Fiona Payne, Dianne Webster (Fiona’s mother), and Russell O’Brien and Jane Tanner – often referred to as the “Tapas Seven” in media reports – were the individuals with whom Kate and Gerry McCann had dinner on the night Madeleine disappeared. In response to persistent tabloid speculation, leaks from police who advised them not to speak to the press, and what they perceived as insinuations, this group released a statement in October 2007, categorically denying any involvement other than attempting to assist the investigation.

They emphasized that there’s never been a ‘silent pact’ or anything clandestine between them; their sole intention is to aid in the search for Madeleine. From the beginning, Portuguese authorities advised them not to disclose their statements. It’s aggravating for them that adhering to this instruction from the Portuguese police has been perceived as suspicious. All actions taken and being taken are solely aimed at assisting with the search for Madeleine and alleviating Gerry and Kate’s ordeal.

Reflecting on an interview with the BBC back in April 2008, I reminisced, “From the very beginning, there was a threat of potential imprisonment for two years if we chose to speak out. Given this situation, our group collectively decided not to say anything from day one. Had the circumstances been different, we would have been eager to set the record straight.

The Portuguese authorities interviewed all seven individuals in question during that same month, and they consistently recalled that on May 3, 2007, Kate appeared extremely distraught, while Gerry showed similar signs of great distress.

Dianne Webster informed the police that she had never heard such sounds coming from a man before, and as for Kate, well, it’s impossible to find the right words to describe her reactions.

Approaching Madeleine’s fifth birthday, Kate felt certain that, if she had known 12 months earlier that her daughter would still be missing at this point, she would likely have been overwhelmed and might have struggled severely, as she put it, “I’m convinced I would have collapsed.

However, although she admitted that it took her numerous years to derive significant joy from anything, struggling even with simple activities like dining out or watching a movie or soccer match, Gerry also had his ups and downs. Yet, due to the needs of Sean and Amelie, they found themselves moving forward more swiftly than they might have preferred.

In her book, Kate described the six-year-old twins as being exceptionally balanced, broad-minded, and attuned to their emotions.

Gerry explained to the BBC in 2017 that a change in our circumstances made life a family of four for us. However, we’ve managed to adapt, which is crucial. The past five years have given us the opportunity to focus on caring for the twins and ourselves while still pursuing our work. At some point, it became clear that time doesn’t stand still, and we both understand that we owe it to the twins to ensure their life is as rewarding as they deserve.

On July 21, 2008, it was announced by the Portuguese Attorney General’s office that neither Kate, Gerry, nor their fellow suspect Robert Murat were found guilty of any wrongdoing regarding the safety of Madeleine. There was no evidence suggesting Madeleine had been harmed.

At the same time, the PJ said they were halting their investigation.

Kate expressed that they weren’t remorseful about the news, rather, they were skeptical that a genuine inquiry was underway, as they suspected it might have been unnecessary from the start. They had taken the initiative to engage private detectives to carry on the investigation further.

Three days following the declaration of their innocence, Gonçalo Amaral – previously the lead investigator coordinator for the PJ who stepped down from the McCann case in October 2007 and retired from service in June 2008 – published a book that proposed the idea that Kate and Gerry might have concealed the truth behind their daughter’s disappearance. Additionally, his book cast the police department’s actions during the investigation in a more positive light.

In 2009, the couple initiated a libel lawsuit against Amaral. This legal process lasted for several years, culminating in a trial in 2014. In April 2015, a judge in Lisbon granted the McCanns over half a million dollars in damages and prohibited further sales of the book titled “The Truth of the Lie“. However, Amaral managed to overturn this decision in the following year, allowing his book to resume sales. This was due to his claim that the book was an account of a well-documented police investigation.

In 2017, the McCanns made an attempt to bring their case before Portugal’s highest court, but it was not accepted. They found this decision deeply disheartening, expressing that their ultimate goal had been for both British and Portuguese law enforcement agencies to do everything possible in searching for their daughter.

In May 2011, the Metropolitan Police in London launched a formal investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance, which they named “Operation Grange”. This was followed by Portuguese prosecutors initiating their own investigation in October of the same year.

In October 2013, Scotland Yard disregarded a potential lead they had previously found promising: They eventually verified that the man Jane Tanner saw at 9:15 pm on May 3, 2007, carrying a barefooted child in light-colored pajamas was simply another British holidaymaker with his own child.

Later in the same month, during an episode of Crimewatch on BBC, Scotland Yard revealed updated composite sketches, which were created from eyewitness accounts of another couple who spotted a man carrying a child resembling Madeleine McCann’s description, approximately 500 yards from their apartment and moving towards the beach around 10 p.m. The Met Police stated that they received over 300 phone calls and 170 emails shortly after the broadcast was aired.

However, regardless of the details shared, no significant advancements resulted from them. This pattern persisted for quite some time.

As the 10th anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance approaches, Kate and Gerry expressed to BBC’s Fiona Bruce that they continue to harbor hope for their daughter’s return. They mentioned instances where miraculous events occurred, like the finding of three women in Cleveland who had been held captive for a decade, or the case of Jaycee Dugard, who was found alive 18 years after being kidnapped at age 11.

Kate expressed, “We exhausted all possible means to prevent a drawn-out, unresolved case such as this one from happening. It’s heartbreaking and we’ve put in our utmost effort to assist in finding her. Unfortunately, so far, it seems our efforts haven’t yielded results. However, our hope remains…We continue to look forward.

Three years on, it was revealed that a different individual had emerged as a potential culprit: a male inmate from Germany, serving time for drug-related crimes. As per the German officials, this individual possessed an extensive criminal background with previous convictions relating to child sexual abuse.

On June 3, 2020, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell of the Metropolitan Police stated that they had received information about a certain individual back in 2017 and had been working on the case since then, collaborating with the Polícia Judiciária and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (the BKA). At that time, there were only a few detectives left on the case, a significant reduction from the original 30 investigators who were part of Operation Grange in 2011.

While Cranwell emphasized their task was to “track the facts, keep an open mind, and determine what transpired on May 2007”, Hans Christian Wolters, the state prosecutor in Braunschweig, informed reporters the following day (as reported by Reuters) that they were investigating a 43-year-old German suspect on suspicion of murder, suggesting that they believe the girl is deceased.

Wolters informed the BBC that they possessed evidence “sufficient to declare the girl is deceased and sufficient to implicate a particular person in murder—it’s that robust.

He further stated, “It’s crucial to maintain honesty and accept the chance that our inquiry might not result in a charge, just as other investigations have concluded similarly.

In a few days, Wolters slightly modified his statement, expressing to the Sunday Mirror that there was still a small glimmer of optimism that Madeleine might be alive.

Previous reports from BBC and Associated Press indicate that the main suspect, Christian Brueckner, was convicted in 2019 for a rape incident in 2005 involving a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz. He was given a seven-year sentence, which he started serving in January 2021 upon finishing his drug-related prison term.

As a loyal supporter speaking on behalf of Friedrich Fulscher, I can confirm that at the given point in time, he firmly asserted his innocence regarding the disappearance of Madeleine. He also made it clear that he had no intentions of collaborating with the German prosecutor’s office.

In the spring of 2021, Brueckner, who had his appeal for rape conviction denied in November 2020, spoke up for the first time from prison. He addressed Wolf and prosecutor Ute Lindemann with a statement, claiming he was being unjustly pursued.

On May 8, 2021 (as reported by The Telegraph on June 14), I penned a message stating that accusing someone of a crime is one aspect. However, it transforms into an unprecedented scandal when a public prosecutor embarks on a prejudicial public campaign prior to the initiation of proceedings. Your actions, marked by arbitrary convictions in the past and scandalous prejudicial campaigns currently underway, have demonstrated globally that you are ill-suited for the position of an ‘advocate for the honest and the German people who trust in justice.’ In doing so, you bring disgrace to the German legal system.

The inquiry stayed at that point, as German authorities expressed their somber doubts, while Scotland Yard continued its pursuit. Brueckner, currently aged 48, hasn’t faced charges in the McCann case yet.

In 2020, Scotland Yard stated that they had not found conclusive proof whether Madeleine is alive or deceased, and this situation persists. Previously, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Dame Cressida Dick, informed reporters that they were collaborating “extremely closely” with German authorities, but she did not anticipate that all evidence would be shared with them.

As your trusted lifestyle advisor, I want to share an update on our ongoing investigations. I’m collaborating closely with colleagues from the BKA and PJ, ensuring that every angle is thoroughly explored. Our dedicated team is still diligently working on this case, and for now, there are no changes in our approach or resources.

We will persist in our efforts until we reach a decisive point. This could be when more information surfaces, a perpetrator is apprehended, or if we’ve exhausted all viable options. At present, we are not at that stage yet, and the investigation continues.

In January 2021, a source associated with the investigation shared with the Telegraph, “At present, the situation hasn’t changed. Despite my hope for resolution, there’s no indication that [Brueckner] has information leading to Madeleine. This is the crucial aspect.

2021 marked the 14th anniversary since their daughter Madeleine went missing. On this occasion, Gerry and Kate McCann, who don’t use social media, posted on the Find Madeleine website: “Every May is challenging – it’s a reminder of the years gone by, the years we should have spent together. This year, it feels especially poignant because it’s the age Madeleine would be turning 18. The pain speaks for itself.

A representative from the Met confirmed to NewsTop that the McCann case was still under investigation and open, but they couldn’t provide additional details about their ongoing inquiry – it remained a missing persons case. At that time, Clarence Mitchell, long-term spokesperson for the McCann family, didn’t grant interview requests.

Approximately four months down the line, on April 21, 2022, the Prosecutor’s Office in Faro, Portugal, announced that they had identified a main suspect in a case. They did not disclose the individual’s name but revealed that their actions were in response to a request from German authorities and in collaboration with British investigators.

The following day, on their child-finding website, the McCanns posted, “We’re glad to hear that the Portuguese police have classified a German man as an ‘arguido’ in connection with the disappearance of our cherished daughter Madeleine. This seems like progress in the joint investigation by the Portuguese, German, and British authorities. We receive updates on the case from the Metropolitan police.

It’s significant to emphasize that the person labeled as ‘arguido’ has not been officially accused of any crime concerning Madeleine’s disappearance. Though it seems unlikely, we continue to hold onto the hope that Madeleine is still alive and one day we will be reunited with her.

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2025-05-11 21:20