Portuguese Authorities Halt Investigation

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Police say Madeleine McCann was abducted in Portugal.

Portugal's attorney general ordered police Monday, July 21, 2008 to halt their investigation into the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann because detectives uncovered no evidence of a crime during their 14-month probe.

The case will remain closed unless new evidence emerges, Attorney-General Fernando Pinto Monteiro's office said in a statement. Detectives found no reason to charge any of the three people named as suspects: Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry and local man Robert Murat, the statement said. All three denied involvement.

After the announcement, the McCanns said being named suspects in the case had damaged the search for Madeleine.

"In an order issued today, ... the investigation into the disappearance of the minor Madeleine McCann has been halted because no evidence was discovered of any crime committed by the suspects," the attorney general's statement said. It added the investigation could be reopened "if new evidence emerges from any serious, pertinent and authoritative" source.

Several months prior to the announcement, reports of newly discovered evidence surfaced. A bag of discarded clothes said to have a DNA link to missing Madeleine McCann offered hope that the toddler is still alive. A plastic bag, discovered near Faro airport in Portugal near the end of October 2007, was just 75 miles from where the 4-year-old vanished. According to published reports, the bag contained a shower curtain, a white flannel, a green elastic band, a green child's T-shirt with a flower on the front and a pencil case with a pink heart motif. There was also a pair of adult jeans and a fleece which allegedly had traces of body fluid and hair with a partial DNA match to Madeleine. 

The bag and its contents were sent to the Forensic Science Service lab in Birmingham for DNA analysis. It is believed the fleece and the jeans, which had more than 60 different stains on them, contained a "moderate" DNA match to Madeleine. The blue fleece and jeans were found to contain traces of congealed skin and hair. Police are waiting for further test results to see if any other DNA is discovered.

Private Detectives Look Into Possible Sighting

As Portugal's public prosecutor announced that Kate and Gerry McCann will not face further police interviews, private detectives hired by the missing 4-year-old's parents are following up a sighting in Morocco of a blonde girl, allegedly with the same distinctive mark in one eye as the missing toddler.

According to published reports, Metodo 3, the Spanish private detective agency hired by the McCanns, were told a girl resembling Madeleine was seen with a woman in a taxi on August 21, 2007 in the village of Fnidk. Naoual Malhi, the woman who allegedly reported the sighting, contacted Spanish police about six days after seeing media reports suggesting the missing child could be in Morocco.

Madeleine's Father Returns To Work

Just days before the six-month anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance, her father, Gerry, returned to work as a cardiologist at a hospital outside London. 

"We very much wanted to get back to a degree of normality, and me going back into my normal employment is very much part of that," he said outside Glenfield Hospital in Leicester. Gerry McCann said he would ease back into his duties as a consultant cardiologist, beginning with academic work as well as MRI and CT scanning before increasing his workload. Gerry also stated that the search would continue for his beautiful daughter although they expect "no significant developments in the near future."

Tapas 7 Speak Out

The seven friends who were dining with Kate and Gerry McCann the night Madeleine vanished have issued a statement regarding their silence about the little girl's disappearance, insisting they have nothing to hide.

"We wish to state that there is categorically no 'pact of silence' or indeed anything secretive between us - just the desire to assist the search for Madeleine," they said in a joint statement, released by the McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell.

"From day one, the police in Portugal told us not to discuss our statements. It is incredibly frustrating for us that the fact we have done as we were asked to by the Portuguese police is still being looked upon as suspicious. Everything we have done, and continue to do, has been to help with the search for Madeleine and to end this nightmare for Gerry and Kate."

Russell O'Brien and Jane Tanner are claimed to be the friends who the police are most determined to interview again. It has been reported that Mr. O'Brien left the dinner table for approximately 30 minutes right around the time that Madeleine's parents believe she disappeared. Ms. Tanner claimed that she saw a man carrying a child away from the McCann's vacation apartment, but there are no further details on that account.

Reports also claim that detectives from Portugal want to question Matthew Oldfield, the man who allegedly looked in on the McCann's apartment a half hour before Madeleine was reported missing.

New Detective Appointed To Madeleine's Case Ignites New Search

Portuguese authorities have appointed one of their most senior officers to lead the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Paulo Rebelo, deputy national director of Portuguese police, replaces Goncalo Amaral, who was removed from the case after bashing British police, saying they were being misled by Kate and Gerry McCann.

According to reports, Rebelo has initiated a new search of the McCann's holiday apartment. Forensic teams searched the resort where the McCann's were staying and now, Portuguese police are asking other holidaymakers to volunteer their DNA.

In early September, after Portuguese police officially named Kate and Gerry McCann suspects, Gerry stated in a press conference that "Portuguese law prohibits us from commenting further on the police investigation...we played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter, Madeleine."

AMW Speaks With McCann Family

AMW correspondent Jon Leiberman spoke with Philomena McCann, the sister of Gerry McCann and the aunt of 4-year-old Madeleine McCann. Philomena confirmed to AMW that Madeleine's mother, Kate, had officially been named a suspect in her daughter's disappearance and was offered a plea deal through her attorney earlier Friday. According to Philomena, if Kate agreed to plead guilty to accidentally killing her daughter, the courts would "be lenient on her." Philomena says Kate's response was, get "stuffed". 

Philomena said that though Kate and Gerry were demoralized at first, they are now going to begin "fighting back". Philomena says, "No one is even looking for Madeleine. I've had enough of their reputations being sullied. Kate and Gerry made it uncomfortable for the police the past few months so police just want to cover up their own incompetence by trying to go after Kate and Gerry." Philomena says she believes that Gerry and Kate will never be formally charged with any crimes because the "evidence is so weak".

Though the shocking news may sound ominous for the McCann family, it may be standard protocol in Portugal. Under Portuguese law, declaring a suspect would indicate that police think the individual may have been involved in the crime but it would not necessarily mean that the suspect would be charged.

In May, Gerry McCann sat down with AMW producers in Washington, D.C., revealing what his family has faced since the abduction of his 4-year-old daughter, and discussing his attempts to find new resources in his quest to bring her home.

More than two months after Madeleine was kidnapped, Gerry visited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, learning about some of the techniques they use to track missing kids. Gerry also met with U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.

Gerry McCann spent 48 hours in Washington, meeting with lawmakers and spreading the word about Madeleine's disappearance.

Suspects, Arrests, And DNA

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A witness helped private investigators create this sketch of a suspicious man seen around Praia Du Luz in the days leading up to Madeleine's disappearance.

Portuguese police say that they had recently re-interviewed their first suspect, Robert Murat. Murat met with police for eight hours and was then released.

Arrests have been made in the McCann case, though none directly related to the girl's disappearance. An Italian man and a Portuguese woman were arrested for trying to extort money from Gerry and Kate McCann, cops say. A Dutch man was also taken into custody for trying to exploit the McCann's tragedy for financial gain, according to cops.

Portuguese police also say they found a DNA sample in the room where 4-year-old Madeleine was abducted. The sample does not match any family members, cops say, and could point the way to a new suspect.

Police have also issued a description of a man they say may be involved in the abduction of Madeleine.  Cops say this individual was seen near the McCann's apartment around 9:30 p.m. on May 3, the night Madeleine disappeared, and he was carrying what appeared to be a small child.

This man is described as Caucasian and between 35 and 40 years old with a medium build. He is 5' 7" to 5'9" tall, has short hair and was wearing a dark jacket, beige pants, and dark shoes.

Public interest in the case continues to be high. After just a few months, a website chronicling the search for Madeleine has received more than 100 million hits, according to the McCann family.

Authorities say Madeleine McCann was abducted on May 3 from an apartment in Portugal while her parents had dinner nearby. She was lying in bed with her 2-year-old twin siblings, Sean and Amelie.

The investigation into Madeleine's disappearance continues, with police only naming one official suspect, 33-year-old Robert Murat, who was later released.

British police are hoping the public can help the investigation.  They say that photos taken in the Praia de Luz area in Portugal could be critical to finding Madeleine McCann.

Authorities are looking for photographs with strangers in the background so that they can compare these images with a database of known sex offenders -- and perhaps make a break in this internationally-monitored case

New Sketch Released

On January 20, 2008, the McCann family spokesman held a press conference with details of a possible new lead in the case.

A new witness -- a woman named Gail Cooper -- recently came forward with information about a man seen in the Praia Du Luz area in the days leading up to Maddie's disappearance. She told investigators that she came in contact with the man as he was asking her for money. He claimed to be collecting the money for a nearby orphanage. She described his demeanor as nervous and agitated. She said he spoke English with a thick accent. She did not seem to think he was Portuguese, describing him as possibly having a North African of Spanish appearance.

Gail helped an artist create a composite sketch of the man she described. Investigators believe the picture resembles a sketch previously created of a man seen carrying a child near the McCann's apartment on the night Maddie vanished. The McCann family is hoping that someone will recognize this person and help police in finding out if he has any links to their daughter's disappearance.