Witnesses claimed to have seen Robert Murat the night Maddie disappeared.

[Alfred R Jones]

I can understand maybe one of the McCann's friends mistaking someone else for Robert Murat but three of them !!!

What other explanation is there?

[Alice Purjorick]

Interesting he was called as a witness I assume in the latest Portuguese interviews. I wonder what leads they were pursuing there. Can only expect it was linked to some theory regarding Sergio and friends.

Strictly true but about a year ago nonetheless.

[lordpookles]

Well obviously more then just the one explanation - that they had mistakenly seen him.

1) He was there.
2) They are lying.

Can't think of anymore. Delete as appropriate 

[lordpookles]

Strictly true but about a year ago nonetheless.

Yep, I wonder where the investigation is right now? If there are further interviews we could at least speculate some more. Very quiet for a long time now... To speculate, I wonder if they quizzed him last time on the alleged sightings that night by 3 of the tapas group... Be interesting to know how convinced the 3 of them are about seeing him that night...

[Carana]

Well obviously more then just the one explanation - that they had mistakenly seen him.

1) He was there.
2) They are lying.

Can't think of anymore. Delete as appropriate 

3) False memory recall. I've posted quite a few studies on this (including videos).

[lordpookles]

3) False memory recall. I've posted quite a few studies on this (including videos).

Thanks I'll have a look, but the false memory recall comes under the similar banner as mistakenly seen him, so imo 3 possible scenarios that I can think of.

[ferryman]

The description given by his former workmate and neighbours gives us a glimpse of some of the type of behaviour he evidenced in Luz when Madeleine went missing.

He liked to be in the thick of things.  We can see that from the photographs taken of him mixing with police officers like 'one of the boys'.

When being helpful it was sometimes to the point of being annoying.  It was this trait which brought him to the attention of the PJ inspectors when he asked questions about the ins and outs of the investigation apparently on occasion even trying to see what was on their desks.

Maybe he was also a victim of the lack of official information being released by the investigation allowing reporters time to start observing the people round about them.

Thank you, Brietta.

That succinctly sums up what I took from the profile.

[Alice Purjorick]

Yep, I wonder where the investigation is right now? If there are further interviews we could at least speculate some more. Very quiet for a long time now... To speculate, I wonder if they quizzed him last time on the alleged sightings that night by 3 of the tapas group... Be interesting to know how convinced the 3 of them are about seeing him that night...

It would be interesting to know whether he appeared on that occasion at the behest of the MPS or the PJ.

[jassi]

It would be interesting to know whether he appeared on that occasion at the behest of the MPS or the PJ.

And more interesting, what it achieved.

[Alice Purjorick]

And more interesting, what it achieved.

I have long been of the opinion that all these "suspects" etc have been interviewed by The Met on the basis of "'ere you were out and about on the night of the third tell us what you saw". Against the background it is the witnesses right to ask for arguido status if he so wishes.

[Brietta]

If you read about false memory recall, it's perfectly possible.

Someone with glasses could have been attempting to interpret that night and when Murat was made arguido, it could have been assumed that it was him. It's perfectly possible that in the confusion and exhaustion that Russ had got confused as to when Murat first spoke to him (it was only later that day after all).

It might even have been John Hill at some point that someone saw running around.

Others could have mistaken David Payne for Murat.

Or anyone else as yet not identified.

In this case I don't think false memory comes into it, Carana.  A man looking very much like Robert Murat, David Payne (who would not be misidentified by the other members of his party) and John Hill was identified as taking an interest in proceedings.

They would probably have been able to say, "No, I was not standing in that particular spot, smoking ... I don't smoke anyway."  Or " I was never in that spot, I was in the beach area for most of the evening."

If it wasn't any of them, it was someone, so why might it not have been appropriate to make the attempt to find him, particularly as Robert Murat was elsewhere at the time and it would have been important to him if that man was identified, particularly as he remained an arguido for so long.

[ferryman]

In this case I don't think false memory comes into it, Carana.  A man looking very much like Robert Murat, David Payne (who would not be misidentified by the other members of his party) and John Hill was identified as taking an interest in proceedings.

They would probably have been able to say, "No, I was not standing in that particular spot, smoking ... I don't smoke anyway."  Or " I was never in that spot, I was in the beach area for most of the evening."

If it wasn't any of them, it was someone, so why might it not have been appropriate to make the attempt to find him, particularly as Robert Murat was elsewhere at the time and it would have been important to him if that man was identified, particularly as he remained an arguido for so long.

Angus Symington (I believe a cousin of Murat's) was another who looked uncannily alike to Murat.

[Alice Purjorick]

A veritable pox of Robert Murat lookylikeys descended upon the village.
Where to from here ?

[Brietta]

Angus Symington (I believe a cousin of Murat's) was another who looked uncannily alike to Murat.

I've seen pictures of them together or maybe side by side photographs to illustrate how similar they are. 

It should also be noted that the three from the McCann group were not the only people who saw a man who they identified as Robert Murat.  For example, sisters Annie Wiltshire and Jayne Jensen and in one of her statements, Silvia Batista. 

There were one or two others whose names I can't recall.

[Benice]

I've seen pictures of them together or maybe side by side photographs to illustrate how similar they are. 

It should also be noted that the three from the McCann group were not the only people who saw a man who they identified as Robert Murat.  For example, sisters Annie Wiltshire and Jayne Jensen and in one of her statements, Silvia Batista. 

There were one or two others whose names I can't recall.

IIRC Charlotte Pennington was another one.