If The GNR Search & Rescue Dogs Were Not Tracking MM Who Were They Tracking?

[Holly Goodhead]

Is there anything to grip on the outside of the Mc Cann door to slam it?  The video of the cleaner´s house reminds me a bit of the lock I have here in Spain. It is possible to slam the door but you need to grip a sort of door knocker and it does not always slam shut. We tend to use the key. Even when you are lucky and it slams it makes a hell of a lot of noise so our cleaner for example always tends to use the key to close the door.

Yes there's a door knob outside.  The McCanns said the reason they exited the patio door at night was to avoid using the front door with the potential to wake the children upon exit.

We are told by the McCanns they put the children to bed at circa 7.30pm and then left for tapas at circa 8.30pm.  They then re-entered and exited via the patio doors to carry out the checks.

[The General]

Yes there's a door knob outside.  The McCanns said the reason they exited the patio door at night was to avoid using the front door with the potential to wake the children upon exit.

We are told by the McCanns they put the children to bed at circa 7.30pm and then left for tapas at circa 8.30pm.  They then re-entered and exited via the patio doors to carry out the checks.

But surely the door can be closed silently by using the key and pulling it to upon exit?
I'm of the opinion that noise reduction wasn't the reason for leaving via the patio door. It could be argued that sliding the patio door would create more noise - if the front door can be closed with the key turned in the latch and pulled using the knob.

[Holly Goodhead]

Is there anything to grip on the outside of the Mc Cann door to slam it?  The video of the cleaner´s house reminds me a bit of the lock I have here in Spain. It is possible to slam the door but you need to grip a sort of door knocker and it does not always slam shut. We tend to use the key. Even when you are lucky and it slams it makes a hell of a lot of noise so our cleaner for example always tends to use the key to close the door.

But the point is that it is possible?  So any abductor could potentially have entered via the unlocked patio doors, staged the window and shutter (if that's what happened), scooped up MM and exited via the front door.  Then according to the dogs walked along block 5, turning left just before block 4 walking alongside the two blocks, turn left to walk along block 5 poolside, cross the road and into a waiting car in the car park. 

[alphonse]

Yes there's a door knob outside.  The McCanns said the reason they exited the patio door at night was to avoid using the front door with the potential to wake the children upon exit.

We are told by the McCanns they put the children to bed at circa 7.30pm and then left for tapas at circa 8.30pm.  They then re-entered and exited via the patio doors to carry out the checks.

 Thanks for that. We are still left with many puzzles.  Can the tracker dogs track Maddie when she is carried out the front door?  If so, was she placed in a car?  Does this route around the building prove Smithman is likely to be just one of those red herrings that turn up in cases?  I think I need to lie down in a darkened room!!

[alphonse]

The ´´abductor´´ was also careful to pull over the drapes behind him before staging the bedroom. All very strange

[Holly Goodhead]

But surely the door can be closed silently by using the key and pulling it to upon exit?
I'm of the opinion that noise reduction wasn't the reason for leaving via the patio door. It could be argued that sliding the patio door would create more noise - if the front door can be closed with the key turned in the latch and pulled using the knob.

The front door was much closer to the children's room than the patio doors.  I can kind of see the logic here.  If you're checking on sleeping children and only concerned with whether or not they have woken up and are distressed then you don't want to disturb them upon exit. 

[The General]

The front door was much closer to the children's room than the patio doors.  I can kind of see the logic here.  If you're checking on sleeping children and only concerned with whether or not they have woken up and are distressed then you don't want to disturb them upon exit.

Maybe I wasn't clear - is it possible to close the door with the key upon exit? i.e. twist the key clockwise 90 degrees to open the latch, pull the door to, then slowly release the latch back anti-clockwise, et voila, the door is now locked.

[alphonse]

I have no trouble with any of this-- about the doors/ patio doors etc but when the ´´abductor´´  [ I don´t believe the Mc Canns have anything to do with it but as I can´t prove that I am putting abductor in inverted commas] comes in through the patio doors he can´t be totally sure he can get out the front door. Why? If the Mc Canns had locked it [  Gerry could not remember when asked] the ´´abductor´´ could not have got out without  key . So, does he grab Maddie and go back to close the drapes and Patio doors?? 

[Holly Goodhead]

The ´´abductor´´ was also careful to pull over the drapes behind him before staging the bedroom. All very strange

I don't think it is strange.  Only a finite number of people could have known MM was home alone in the unlocked apartment.  Had the scene not been staged then the McCanns, invesitgators and others might well have homed in on a finite number of people.  Case closed.

Whilst I was doing the ironing yesterday I listened to Clarence Mitchell talk about the case for an hour or more and Oprah Winfrey interview the McCanns.  Not a mention about the unlocked patio doors. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJzBHRxunGQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8YpsNK4ilQ

[alphonse]

Maybe I wasn't clear - is it possible to close the door with the key upon exit? i.e. twist the key clockwise 90 degrees to open the latch, pull the door to, then slowly release the latch back anti-clockwise, et voila, the door is now locked.

 I have a similar lock here. You can do what you say and it´s what we do to avoid the awful racket trying to slam the door makes . In fact the door often puts up a fight and you need to slam it about three times. Not very good for neighbour relations!

[The General]

I have no trouble with any of this-- about the doors/ patio doors etc but when the ´´abductor´´  [ I don´t believe the Mc Canns have anything to do with it but as I can´t prove that I am putting abductor in inverted commas] comes in through the patio doors he can´t be totally sure he can get out the front door. Why? If the Mc Canns had locked it [  Gerry could not remember when asked] the ´´abductor´´ could not have got out without  key . So, does he grab Maddie and go back to close the drapes and Patio doors??

Pretty sure there's a photograph of the key in a very conspicuous position on the dining room table. Which suggests that the only locking of the front door was with the latch - which, without the key, would be noisy, granted, but with the key, near on silent.
And why would an abductor require a secondary means of egress, when there's a frickin great hole in the wall where the patio door used to be?

[alphonse]

I don't think it is strange.  Only a finite number of people could have known MM was home alone in the unlocked apartment.  Had the scene not been staged then the McCanns, invesitgators and others might well have homed in on a finite number of people.  Case closed.

Whilst I was doing the ironing yesterday I listened to Clarence Mitchell talk about the case for an hour or more and Oprah Winfrey interview the McCanns.  Not a mention about the unlocked patio doors. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJzBHRxunGQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8YpsNK4ilQ

I agree completely. I think it highly likely the perp knew about the checking etc. Can I prove it?  Of course not. It just might be more random but it´s not my gut feeling

[Holly Goodhead]

Maybe I wasn't clear - is it possible to close the door with the key upon exit? i.e. twist the key clockwise 90 degrees to open the latch, pull the door to, then slowly release the latch back anti-clockwise, et voila, the door is now locked.

Yes you were clear and if I had to guess I would say what you have suggested is possible.

[alphonse]

Pretty sure there's a photograph of the key in a very conspicuous position on the dining room table. Which suggests that the only locking of the front door was with the latch - which, without the key, would be noisy, granted, but with the key, near on silent.
And why would an abductor require a secondary means of egress, when there's a frickin great hole in the wall where the patio door used to be?

 I felt that the perp would go back out the patio doors but how do we explain the dogs ignoring that? Is it just because she was being carried?

[The General]

I have a similar lock here. You can do what you say and it´s what we do to avoid the awful racket trying to slam the door makes . In fact the door often puts up a fight and you need to slam it about three times. Not very good for neighbour relations!

And it knackers the lock eventually, which isn't a consideration if it's a holiday let.
But the point remains, I believe that you could tippie toe out of either door more or less silently.
If you were staggering around outside gone midnight, after a jug of Sangria and a bottle of Rioja, then maybe using the patio door would be useful.