Major twist in Maddie mystery
Convicted German rapist named as a suspect
LISBON: A man has been declared an “official suspect” in Germany at Portugal’s request in connection with the disappearance of British girl Madeleine Mccann nearly 15 years ago, a Portuguese prosecutor’s office has announced.
German police revealed in 2020 that they were investigating a German man over the 2007 disappearance of the three-year-old, in the belief that he killed her.
Madeleine went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in the Portuguese holiday resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, a few days before her fourth birthday.
Portugal has a 15-year hearing limit on murder charges, meaning police would have a reduced risk of convicting a suspect after next month.
German citizen Christian Brueckner was named an “official suspect” in the case by Portuguese prosecutors after German police sensationally revealed they believed he killed Madeleine.
He is currently serving a seven-year sentence in a German prison for the 2005 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Praia da Luz – at the same resort where Madeleine disappeared.
A statement issued by the Portimao section of the Faro Department of Criminal Investigation and Prosecution said: “As part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Madeleine Mccann in 2007, a person was made an arguido (suspect).”
The news comes after Portuguese police said they would continue to investigate Madeleine’s disappearance after UK police ended their probe.
The Portuguese AttorneyGeneral’s Office said an independent investigation led by prosecutors out of the Algarve would continue.
Parents Gerry and Kate Mccann left their three small children, including toddler twins Sean and Amelie, sleeping in their holiday rental apartment while they dined at a tapas bar just 120m away.
When Kate returned to check on the children about 10pm that evening, she found Madeleine was not in her bed and was missing.
In September of that year, Gerry and Kate, both doctors, were sensationally named as suspects by Portuguese police.
The following summer, the Mccanns were cleared by investigators in Portugal who declared they had exhausted all avenues in the case.