Three Door Moves

[misty]

I am pleased with finding that kitchen hood connecting to a tall vent chimney, because it provides the through draught which proves that the witness is telling the truth about the bedroom door slamming after she set it to the almost closed position, and also is telling the truth about the curtains blowing in.

Looking at past cases, there are far more cases involving a child hiding in response to an attempted burglary, than there are cases of an intruder hiding behind curtains while an adult resident is in the apartment.

Several past cases where a burglar has been confronted by a resident have resulted in physical attacks. The PdL intruders appear to have been on the meek side, and there was no easy way out undetected for an individual who had just arrived in the children's bedroom then heard someone entering via the patio door.
You need to explain how Madeleine disappeared without trace in your scenario.

[pegasus]

Several past cases where a burglar has been confronted by a resident have resulted in physical attacks. The PdL intruders appear to have been on the meek side, and there was no easy way out undetected for an individual who had just arrived in the children's bedroom then heard someone entering via the patio door.
You need to explain how Madeleine disappeared without trace in your scenario.

I searched for burglars hiding behind curtains - I found none (except one behind a shower curtain) - if you think it is likely then where are your past cases?

So far explained the open window, the open shutter, why no intruder entered, toy on bed, how the door became wider open, reason for leaving room, the door slamming, the curtains blowing.

[pathfinder73]

I should have added that I don't believe there was a 3rd door move.  Matt found the door open at an angle of about 50% and he didn't say in his initial or subsequent statement that he altered the position of the door.
Matt Oldfield statement 4th May 2007
*snip*
At around 9.25pm, the interviewee went into his apartment and Madeleine's apartment to check on the children. He states that the door of the bedroom that was occupied by Madeleine and the twins, was open and that there was enough light in the bedroom for him to see the twins in their cots.
                                      ===========================================

Matt Oldfield statement 10th May 2007 (revised)
*snip*
That he did not enter the bedroom where MBM and the twins were sleeping. He recalls that the bedroom door was half open, making an angle of 50 degrees. He does not know how far away he was from the bedroom door.
                                        ===========================================
Quote from "Madeleine" page 71


At 10pm I went back to the apartment myself. I entered the sitting room via the patio doors, as Gerry & Matt had done and stood there, listening, for a few seconds. All was silent. Then I noticed that the door to the children's bedroom was open quite wide, not how we had left it. At first I assumed that Matt must have moved it. I walked over & gently began to pull it. Suddenly it slammed shut, as if caught by a draught..


Two moves, not three.

Now you know why that book was written.

[pathfinder73]

4078 'Is there anything else, that you smelt, could you smell anything''
Reply 'No, no, we've talked about that before, I didn't smell anything. I was there to check, erm, no, no funny sort of smells, no sort of funny draughts, no sort of funny sort of noises, no, erm, nothing that I can think of for that.

certainly the curtains were shut and everything was quiet.

4078 'The curtains were drawn and weren't blowing around''
Reply 'Yeah'.(MO)

[misty]

4078 'Is there anything else, that you smelt, could you smell anything''
Reply 'No, no, we've talked about that before, I didn't smell anything. I was there to check, erm, no, no funny sort of smells, no sort of funny draughts, no sort of funny sort of noises, no, erm, nothing that I can think of for that.

certainly the curtains were shut and everything was quiet.

4078 'The curtains were drawn and weren't blowing around''
Reply 'Yeah'.(MO)

MO did not enter the bedroom therefore he would not have smelt any funny smells in there. The curtains probably were still during those few seconds he glanced in.

[misty]

I searched for burglars hiding behind curtains - I found none (except one behind a shower curtain) - if you think it is likely then where are your past cases?

So far explained the open window, the open shutter, why no intruder entered, toy on bed, how the door became wider open, reason for leaving room, the door slamming, the curtains blowing.

I've seen the curtain concealment method in the movies :)
The intruder may not have even concealed themselves anywhere in the parents' room - Gerry didn't go in there. It's just a plausible option IMO - because my version allows for Madeleine to be taken.

[slartibartfast]

I've seen the curtain concealment method in the movies :)
The intruder may not have even concealed themselves anywhere in the parents' room - Gerry didn't go in there. It's just a plausible option IMO - because my version allows for Madeleine to be taken.

...yes, they usually leave their shoes sticking out. 

[Alice Purjorick]

...yes, they usually leave their shoes sticking out. 

I have seen that movie. It is either a bloke in a 600 guinea suit wearing trainers or a bloke in overalls wearing Gucci moccasins. Dead givaway 

[misty]

...yes, they usually leave their shoes sticking out. 

Those curtains are very long.....

[pathfinder73]

The bedroom door was completely open in her first statement. Not wider than usual.

[misty]

The bedroom door was completely open in her first statement. Not wider than usual.

The joys of translation, eh?
Short sleeved or long sleeved pyjamas?

[pathfinder73]

The joys of translation, eh?
Short sleeved or long sleeved pyjamas?

I've had the original Portuguese statement translated to confirm.

[Brietta]

I find the theory, that an intruder entered the apartment and moved the bedroom door and hid in a wardrobe during the 21.10 check, far too complicated. That first move of the door is much more simply explained by a child getting up to go to the bathroom then returning to bed before 21.10.

And the second move of the door can be simply explained by a child opening the door between 21.10 and 21.30 to go from the child bedroom into for example the lounge or the other bedroom.

Maybe I have been over-reading the  "Complete Works of Ockham" but I do not see any need at all to introduce an intruder to explain the two door moves.

The only problem with that is that Madeleine subsequently vanished without trace; had she exited the apartment of her own volition, she would not have got very far because she had no shoes on her feet.

[ferryman]

The only problem with that is that Madeleine subsequently vanished without trace; had she exited the apartment of her own volition, she would not have got very far because she had no shoes on her feet.

Yes.  Madeleine's only pair of outdoor shoes were found in the villa ...

[Alice Purjorick]

We remain struggling with the prime bit for abduction. The abductor and the child cross paths. Kate said Madeleine could not get out. Taking that at face value the abductor and child crossed paths inside the apartment. Now find a convincing tale of how the abductor gained entrance and exit. All we get is "if this and if that and if the other and well she disappeared ergo it was an abduction". Moving doors whooshing curtains and all that haraz is just that. Come up with a convincing tale of how the abductor got in bearing in mind "Tweedle dum" and "Tweedle dee" said there was no evidence of  break in."