At long last, the family of Madeleine McCann may finally have a sense of justice. Thirteen years after the then-3-year-old went missing from the hotel they were staying in, authorities have identified a German prisoner as the prime suspect in the case.
There have been numerous theories out there about what really happened to Madeleine, but this is the first bit of concrete evidence that the family and authorities have had in quite some time throughout their ongoing quest for answers.
The London Metropolitan Police's Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell delivered a statement explaining the update: "It's more than 13 years since Madeleine went missing and none of us can imagine what it must be like for her family, not knowing what happened or where she is. Following the ten-year anniversary, the Met received information about a German man who was known to have been in and around Praia da Luz … While this male is a suspect, we retain an open mind as to his involvement and this remains a missing person inquiry."
The man has not been identified, but details about his life have been given to the press. The BBC reported that he lived a "transient lifestyle" in a camper van in the region where Madeleine disappeared from 1995 to 2007. He was also in the area the night Madeline disappeared, and he received a phone call at 7:32 p.m. that ended at 8:02 p.m.
Police have released information about the phone call in hopes that the person the suspect spoke to will come forward with any information they might have.
"The suspect is believed to have been using a Portuguese mobile phone, with the number +351 912 730 680 on the day Madeleine went missing.
"The phone received a call in the area of Praia da Luz from a second mobile number, +351 916 510 683, from someone not in the area. They want the person who made this call to come forward."
The detective also explained that this person may know a lot more than they even realize: "They're a key witness and we urge them to get in touch. Some people will know the man we're describing today … you may be aware of some of the things he's done. He may have confided in you about the disappearance of Madeleine. More than 13 years have passed and your loyalties may have changed. Now is the time to come forward."
Kate and Gerry McMann, Madeline's parents, have also released their own statement:
"All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know, as we need to find peace."
People also revealed details about the suspect:
"The suspect is described as white, with blonde hair, standing 6 feet with a slim build. He was 30 at the time but may have appeared to be in his late 20s. Police have not revealed what charges the suspect is behind bars for."
Over the years, numerous theories about what happened to Madeleine have been floated online and in the news. Here are the facts of the case:
- Madeleine disappeared while sleeping in the hotel room her family had booked while on vacation in Portugal.
- Her parents were eating dinner at a nearby restaurant while Madeleine, who was 3 at the time, and her 2-year-old twin siblings were sleeping.
- Her mother discovered she was missing after going to check on the kids, and another diner noted that she had seen a man “carrying a girl” walk by.
- Her parents were initially suspects but were eventually cleared by authorities.
Many theories have also been floated about what did or didn't happen to Madeleine. While some of the theories are obviously too conspiratorial to be seriously considered, others have been investigated. The most prominent theory is that Madeleine was kidnapped by someone who was watching the apartment and noticed that the parents kept going back and forth to check on otherwise unsupervised children.
Others have posited that she was kidnapped and then trafficked, especially since she hasn't been found. Private investigator Julian Peribañez explained, "The value that Madeleine had was really high. If they took her, it's because they were going to get a lot of money." Portugal is also geographically close to Spain, which would make it easier to take someone out of the country.
In 2011, British police agency Scotland Yard believed that Madeleine may have been killed after she woke up during an attempted robbery. However, local authorities pushed back on this idea. "This burglary theory is absurd. Not even a wallet disappeared, no television disappeared, nothing else disappeared. A child disappeared."
The sad reality is that for Madeleine's family, there still have been so few answers and just endless possibilities and questions. While the hope is very much that Madeleine will be found alive, her family needs resolution no matter what. Perhaps this new lead will develop into something the police can use.
