The German prosecutor at the helm of the Madeleine McCann investigation has delivered a sobering assessment of the case against prime suspect Christian B, admitting that securing a conviction remains a 'huge task'.
In an exclusive interview, Hans Christian Wolters from the Braunschweig Public Prosecutor's Office conceded that investigators still lack 'concrete evidence' to prove that Madeleine is dead. This startling admission deals a significant blow to the long-running investigation and the hopes of Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann.
Wolters revealed that while authorities are 'certain' of their suspect's guilt, the evidence they currently possess is circumstantial. 'We are sure that he is the murderer of Madeleine McCann,' Wolters stated, but quickly added, 'but we have no concrete evidence that she is dead... and that makes it a huge task for us to prove that in court.'
The case against Christian B, a 45-year-old German national currently incarcerated for an unrelated crime, is built on a complex web of connections and historical data. Key pillars of the investigation include:
- Mobile phone records placing him in the Praia da Luz area on the night of May 3rd, 2007.
- Past convictions for child sexual abuse and drug trafficking.
- Reports of incriminating comments he allegedly made to associates.
- The discovery of a van he was using around the time of the disappearance.
Despite this, the absence of forensic evidence directly linking him to the crime or confirming Madeleine's fate presents a monumental challenge. Wolters emphasised that the investigation is far from closed, stating they are 'still looking for evidence' and remain hopeful that new information will emerge.
The prosecutor's candid comments underscore the immense difficulty in prosecuting a historic cold case, even with a identified suspect. For over 15 years, the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann from a holiday apartment in Portugal has remained one of the world's most haunting unsolved mysteries.
