Is it any wonder that initial investigators arrived at the conclusions they did?

[Brietta]

Thank you.

There is more to my Theory, of course.  Who was Smithman, seen heading in the direction of the beach?

Who organised the phone call to The GNR at Portimao reporting a non existent burglary?

To be fair the PJ would not have worked Smithman into the equation for the simple reason that they were not told of his existence until a fortnight later.  But there was a lot going on in the background in and around Luz about which the McCanns and their companions wouldn't have had a clue but about which local police should have had intelligence for passing up the line to the PJ.
Nothing approaching an amber alert despite an immediate local search turning up no trace of the missing child.  I think that was a game changer.

The fact that the McCanns were deemed suspicious even before the investigators had time to get their feet on the ground is absolutely tragic when there was so much else to be going on with.

[Eleanor]

To be fair the PJ would not have worked Smithman into the equation for the simple reason that they were not told of his existence until a fortnight later.  But there was a lot going on in the background in and around Luz about which the McCanns and their companions wouldn't have had a clue but about which local police should have had intelligence for passing up the line to the PJ.
Nothing approaching an amber alert despite an immediate local search turning up no trace of the missing child.  I think that was a game changer.

The fact that the McCanns were deemed suspicious even before the investigators had time to get their feet on the ground is absolutely tragic when there was so much else to be going on with.

The fact is that Smithman was seen heading in the direction of the beach at approximately the right time.

Amaral wasn't interested in anything unless it implicated The McCanns, which he later tried to do even with that one.

[Angelo222]

Securitas (alarms) in Lisbon telephoned the GNR in Lagos 4 times re an incident in Odiaxere.  Those calls are in the GNR Lagos phone log.  I have never yet seen any proof it was a phoney incident.

Nothing came of the call to Odiaxere so we must assume it was either a hoax or a system fault.

[Angelo222]

To be fair the PJ would not have worked Smithman into the equation for the simple reason that they were not told of his existence until a fortnight later.  But there was a lot going on in the background in and around Luz about which the McCanns and their companions wouldn't have had a clue but about which local police should have had intelligence for passing up the line to the PJ.
Nothing approaching an amber alert despite an immediate local search turning up no trace of the missing child.  I think that was a game changer.

The fact that the McCanns were deemed suspicious even before the investigators had time to get their feet on the ground is absolutely tragic when there was so much else to be going on with.

No doubt Tweedledee and Tweedledum passed on their concerns to the PJ detectives.

[Eleanor]

Nothing came of the call to Odiaxere so we must assume it was either a hoax or a system fault.

Thanks.  It could have been either.

The fact remains that it tied up The GNR for over an hour giving someone time to get away imo.

[Angelo222]

Thanks.  It could have been either.

The fact remains that it tied up The GNR for over an hour giving someone time to get away imo.

Don't forget the mandatory "imo" please Eleanor as we don't know for sure what happened to Maddie.  We don't want to give the readers the wrong impression do we since various scenarios as to what befell her remain extremely valid even now 12 years on.

[Eleanor]

Don't forget the mandatory "imo" please Eleanor as we don't know for sure what happened to Maddie.  We don't want to give the readers the wrong impression do we since various scenarios as to what befell her remain extremely valid even now 12 years on.

Whoops.  Sorry.  You might have to go back a bit.

[Mr Gray]

Don't forget the mandatory "imo" please Eleanor as we don't know for sure what happened to Maddie.  We don't want to give the readers the wrong impression do we since various scenarios as to what befell her remain extremely valid even now 12 years on.

Be good if you were to enforce this rule a little more

[ShiningInLuz]

Nothing came of the call to Odiaxere so we must assume it was either a hoax or a system fault.

I've got no idea what became of it, as the outcome is not described in any significant source.

Therefore, at this juncture, there is no reason to assume it was anything other than a genuine alert.

The rest is speculation.

[Mr Gray]

I've got no idea what became of it, as the outcome is not described in any significant source.

Therefore, at this juncture, there is no reason to assume it was anything other than a genuine alert.

The rest is speculation.

in your opinion

you are assuming its genuine...that by definition is speculation

[Eleanor]

I've got no idea what became of it, as the outcome is not described in any significant source.

Therefore, at this juncture, there is no reason to assume it was anything other than a genuine alert.

The rest is speculation.

I'm assuming it wasn't.  In My Opinion.

[G-Unit]

Thanks.  It could have been either.

The fact remains that it tied up The GNR for over an hour giving someone time to get away imo.

The GNR were told about Madeleine's disappearance at 22.41. They reached Luz around 20 minutes later. No 'hour' of being tied up.

[Miss Taken Identity]

A new theory?  MBM a live stow away on a boat, to sail round the world or a cadaver being sailed out to sea of burial?