Madeleine McCann: Robert Murat And More Questions
MADELEINE McCann is missing. Still missing.
But today there is news. The daily front-page shots of Madeleine’s traumatised parents are moved further within the papers to make space for the head of Robert Murat.
“MADELEINE BRITISH MAN IS QUIZZED!” says the Mirror’s front-page headline.
Robert Murat
After the speculation the paper delivers a welter of facts. Robert Murat lives with his mum. Robert Murat is in his 30s. Robert Murat lives with his mother in a villa 150 yards from the apartment where Madeleine McCann was snatched.
The Sun (“MADDIE: BRIT QUIZZED”) says Murat lives 100 yards from that McCann apartment. Like the Mirror, the Sun produces a front-page picture of “one-eyed Murat”. The Mail hears that Murat lost his eye in a BMX accident when he was a boy. The Mail says Murat lives 80 yards from Madeleine’s holiday apartment.
Murat is “stocky”. He offered to help the police hunt as a “translator”. He lives in Casa Liliana, with his mum Jenny.
The Suspect
The Sun’s Julie Moult considers the evidence. And delivers a piece entitled “stories of a fantasist”. “He always seemed so eager to get involved in the police investigation,” says the Sun’s woman–on-the-scene. “Robert claimed he had a daughter just like Madeleine and said he felt compelled to do anything he could. But to me he seemed like classic fantasist.”
The Sun introduces Martin Brunt, the crime news correspondent from its sister organ, TV’s Sky news.
He says Murat told him he’d been taken inside the McCanns’ apartment by police.
Sky news correspondent Ian Woods says he asked Murat to help him speak with locals.
“I met him and had a conversation with him. I tried to find out as much as I could about him,” says Woods, who checked out Murat’s details. “They did check out, and I left it at that for the time.”
The Mail’s Neil Sears also spots Murat. In “My encounters with a man ‘who just wanted to help’”, Sears tells Mail readers, “There was something more to the friendly expat who called himself ‘Rob’ than met the eye.”
Murat made Sears “feel slightly uncomfortable”.
But it was the Sunday Mirror’s Lori Cambell who alerted police to Murat’s behaviour, she saw as “creepy”.
Writing Wrongs
So much for investigative journalism. Questions were asked but nothing more was done. Murat is with police because he made a show of himself, because he acted as if working in an official capacity. Even though the Times says Murat was acting as “an official translator”.
So now the man in the chinos, with the glass eye, who lives with him mum and whose estranged wife, from Hockering, near Norwich, tells a neighbour “How could someone do something so terrible to little girl like that?’ is all over the papers.
Is Murat guilty? The papers produce nothing to indicate that he is. But if Murat is involved, look out for the stories of how British journalism cracked the case.
And look out for Madeleine McCann. Still missing…
Posted: 15th, May 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,194) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
August 9th, 2007 at 10:13 am
hi rachel, i do agree with you on the mcanns should never of left the children on there own,they do know what they did was wrong.but wont they get into trouble once they come back to the uk?maybe thats why dont want to come back,somebody else posted that maybe they would come back and they would have the twins taken away from them,do you think this could happen? has there been any news at all today?the beaker came back negative for dna belonging to little maddie,didnt it?
August 9th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Star, I totally agree with what you are saying and no matter what they try to say about it now I know their actions were totally irrisponsible and that they have come off this lightly. What annoys me is that had this have been a single parent from a rough background the press and police would have hammered this case and made sure the parent got stopped from seeing their children yet because of who the Mccanns are and what they do they have been allowed to get away with this. Even one of their freinds in an interview told the BBC that the apartment was by no means a safe distance away from their children, you couldn’t have seen them from where they were nor protected their children. If i’d have gone on holiday, as I did when Eve was 2, every night when we went out for meals we took her with us in a push chair and she fell asleep. We would never have contemplated leaving her in our home alone let alone an apartment and to be completely honest with you I know there is no escaping the fact that they are completely to blame for this. I think that if something does not happen soon their parents should definately be prosecuted because Madeleine’s life has been diminished because of these irrisponsible people. Even if she is found, this will scar her for the future. She will always remember this and it will seriously affect her relationship with her parents when she discovers why she got taken away. My only concern here is Madeleine and the fact that they allowed this to happen is absolutely terrible. I want her to be found, and then they can put them in jail and lock away the key. It hurts me to say that because looking at them I can see how much regret and guilt they are feeling but at the same time its too late now to feel guilty. This should never have happened in the first place, and any other individual would have been punished for this. They have gotten off this so incredibly lightly. They aren’t dull people - they know the consequences for their actions, i just can’t believe how careless they were especially being so intelligent. One of them could have stayed in while the other went out or visa versa. Why were they so stupid?
August 8th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Not the info i was hoping for….
A possible sighting in Belgium of missing Madeleine McCann was ruled out today after DNA tests proved negative.Meanwhile, suspected traces of blood found in the Algarve apartment where Madeleine was last seen were due to arrive in Britain today for tests. They are expected back in two weeks, although priority cases can sometimes be processed in 48 hours.
I hope this case is a HIGH priority and we will know soon.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Rachel…Everyone has an opinion. I formed mine day one when i heard mom and dad McCann left 3 small children in an unlocked apartment night after night so they would go eat and drink with friends and they said they thought they did nothing wrong, it was like eating in your garden at home and they said they THOUGHT the apartment was family friendly and safe(well it probably is but your not meant to leave 2-2 yr olds and a 3 yr old alone for hours a night). The apartment staff is not responsible for THE Mccann children, their parents are. If they wanted to be able to go out every night why did they bother to bring the children?(A few papers stated these children went to a day care type of thing during the day, the same place the twins STILL go?) Also when i read the police are investigating inconsistencies in what happen the night Madeleine went missing and they have turned the investigation back on mom, dad and the friends. No i dont know any of them but dad Mccann has filled us in quite a bit. He himself calls this a campaign and is working for Madeleine being missing 100 days. What parent set up a pay pal account so those that donate can support them? Yes it is a shame that there are sick people out there who prey on children, but it is our job as a parent to protect them.
I think i can say everyone posting here wants that blood to belong to someone else and not Madeleine, and wants Madeleine to be found safe and soon.
None of us know how much of what we read is true, but from the looks of things the police know more than what they are telling so they can get to the bottom of this. I hope with all my heart Madeleine is alive and well.
Mom Mccann told us she does not want to go back to their home even if Madeleine is found due to bad memories? Why are there BAD memories at the house? One posted said that they dont want to go back cause they may be investigated for bad parenting and lose the twins?
August 8th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
because you would know wouldnt you that you wouldnt want your children to see you upset,because then they would get upset too.you wouldnt really know what the mcanns are going through,none of us could ever imagine,the pain and heart ache,the thought that there LITTLE girl is out there without her mom and dad, it knocks me sick even the thought of my children being away from me.there childs life is in the hands of somebody else,maybe they are past the stage of crying and now they are numb.
August 8th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
rachel have u got children?
August 8th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
i like that theory.
August 8th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
HIYA,i think everybody deals with things different. my son is now 10,but 7 and a half years ago i was in a charity shop with my son and my husband, and that age kids love to be able to walk,when some fella actually tried to grab my son and dragged him towards the door, heared my son shout dad,turned to see this fella hold of my sons hand.my husband went after him,and the shop phoned the police,they couldnt do anything coz we didnt have aproper description of the man and my husband lost him.and the charity shop didnt have cctv.but thats why i am so over protective with all 3 of my kids.but everyone deals with things so different. so really i dont think u could really judge the mcanns, because they dont cry infront of the camara,maybe they think that if maddie is watching the telly and sees her mom and dad, they dont want her to see them upset. just an idea.
August 8th, 2007 at 11:05 am
I strongly disagree with Star and Alice. How can you be so disloyal and disrespectful. No the Mccanns have not shown emotion physically to the Media. But they have had counselling and alot of support in channeling the emotions into a positive outcome. How many missing children have got the same publicity of this case? How many people have heard of any other missing children as much as Madeleine Mccann, her name is known worldwide and it has been because these incredible parents have strived to do everything in their power to help find Madeleine. You are in no position to sit back and judge as you have never experienced such a trauma and to be honest your comments pissed me off. A) You are not investigators on this case, B) You have never had a child abducted and C) You have not got a close relationship with the Mccanns. I think its safe to say the Mccanns are doing a tremendous job in looking for their daughter. Their daughter has got the attention of the media worldwide and it is all because of their positive efforts. They have not sat around moping and crying doing nothing, they have realised that they have to get up and be strong, for the sake of their daughter. It is in Madeleine’s best interest that they put on this brave front because had they just given up and cried over it and done nothing they would never have done the things they have and made the moves they have to find her. How many people do you know have met the pope? How many missing children have their own individual website and fund?! How many times have you seen other childrens faces on trains, bus shelters and shops?! You cannot judge - or if you do then to be honest your comments are worthless to the society because what the Mccann’s need are real hopeful’s. People who are nothing but foccused and hoping of their daughters safe return. Its all too easy to sit back and become a critic but in all fairness, this case has nothing to do with either of you - everyone has enough to say about it but It’s wrong. To be quite blunt this case is none of your business, its none of mine, and its none of the worlds. Their only mission in life is to be re-united with their daughter. We have gone passed the phase now of pushing blame on leaving their children, and who is to blame for this disaster. All that matters now is finding Maddie - alive. British people are the most negative and critical people in the world. I really don’t think you should pass comment when to be totally honest you, or I have no idea what is really going on in this case. The media does not know, the world does not know, The only people who DO know what is going on in this case are Madeleine’s parents. I think you should show a bit more respect and be a bit more thoughtful when passing judgement. These people are going through a really hard time, and they have to live with the guilt for the rest of their lives. But that does not matter now, all that matters is that Maddie is found.
August 8th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Star - You summed up my thoughts exactly -does anybody care about what he has been up to - If I had been in their position - I wouldnt have a hair on my head, I would have torn it all out with grief - also mother mccann and the earrings - would you really be bothered to be adorning yourself with jewellery - then get to the door and whoooopss - forgot to pick up the token toy cat. Just a thought about the dna - if madeleine is an ivf baby - there would presumably only be the mothers dna associated with maddie - that is of course if there was a donor daddy, and not a gerry daddy. I assume that the McCanns would be able to provide some item which would have Madeleines dna on it - clothes or a hairbrush or something
August 8th, 2007 at 4:52 am
I see Gerry and Kate got to run and the weather is cooler and Gerry got a haircut.
All the news articles are talking about blood in their apartment their daughter may be dead and may have been tossed in the sea, that the odds are Madeleine is not alive and he tells us they dont believe this, and then tosses in that they had time to run and get haircuts? ODD Man
August 8th, 2007 at 4:13 am
Alice…
Here is one of a few news articles I have read in the last few days.
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1240672007
They all seem to think the same thing happen to Madeleine. She died in the apartment either by accident or intentionally the night she went missing. Some state that mom and dad Mccann and their friends are to be interviewed and some say the “friends” are being watched. I hate to admit…and it is only my opinion…but i thought the parents, especially dad acted a bit odd from day one.(I mean he is filming and getting ready for his daughter to be missing 100 days, mom doesnt want to go home even if they find Madeleine)….Their friends making up stories as they went along….Seeing a man take Madeleine(but doing nothing about it) and then knowing that it was Murat that had something to do with it.
The blood is a scary thought, I mean i hope it is not Madeleine’s(but how many people would of bleed in that room?) Some articles state that dogs found evidence of a body in the room along with the dogs that found evidence of a body in Murat’s garden. One article stated that police or detectives knew Madeleine was dead a month ago and still others say the police know alot but cannot say at this time. They have dogs sniffing the mccann’s cars and near the ocean. I dont even want to think about Madeleine being dumped in the ocean. That is a horrible thought!!
Mom said they left the children each night to eat and drink with friends(thought the apartment was family friendly and safe…yea…is it safe to leave your kids?)….that would mean these friends knew the drill, knew the kids were alone and who knows if they were checked at all. Nothing makes any sense here. I have a feeling we will know something soon. And i hope it is that the DNA in Belgium matches Madeleine’s…..
August 8th, 2007 at 2:38 am
Star - Really the reactions of the McCanns are really not what one would expect from someone who had had a child abducted. From day 1 I could not understand the persona nor the comments of the parents. I remember Dad Mc saying in the early days that they were at worst naive. On the Tv interview tonight he said “we are not naive” - what a difference 3 months makes. BUT still no real emotion. I know it is probably unfair, but I have developed a real feeling of - well hate is really too strong a word - but UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH towards dadMcCann. And I could just shake mother McCann - what a total whimpering mess she is - Can you imagine going to mother mccann with a medical condition ? she would probably be sitting behind her desk hugging a teddy and quivering..
August 8th, 2007 at 1:59 am
Alice…..That is one thing I have noticed about Mom and especially Dad McCann, no real emotion, no I have never experienced one of my children being missing. But I freak out when one of my animals is missing…I think I would lose my mind if one of my children was missing.
In one paper i read that the parents and friends are being looked at as suspects. Then I read that the parents say they are NOT suspcts.The whole search of the apartment Madeleine disappeared from was odd…..people were in there the night she went missing and i read that other tenants have stayed…wouldn’t they want to preserve the place. Do testing back then? Well i guess we dont know WHY they went back there. We heard that the dogs said there was evidence that a body had been in Murat’s garden and NOW i read they have dogs looking in the apartment. The parents went off to Spain(i believe) when Murat’s home was searched, didnt they want to be there if they found anything. Dad McCann keeps saying that Madeleine was taken from the apartment alive and he is sure she is alive. I do hope she is but things are not looking good right now. The papers keep saying that it looks like Madeleine was killed either intentionally or accidently in the apartment. Dogs are searching by the oean. I dont see why a kidnapper would do her harm in the apartment and stay to clean up the blood and then get rid of her…WHY?!?!?! and if you look at the timeline there was not enough time and what did they do with the items they used to clean up. The story keeps gettin stranger by the day and it looks like the police know more than they are saying at this point. One paper even went as far as saying they knew Madeleine was dead a month ago. I still hate to say it but i am still looking at the parents, one or both and or their friends knowing what happen.
August 7th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
Just watched the McCanns being interviewed on TV news - Male McCann is blaze - female McCann, clutching pink toy cat, nervous - maybe nervous of the dna results in Belguim (hoping positive of Madeleine) - maybe nervous of dna results from blood in the appartment (hoping negative) - still, in my opinion, no real heart rendering emotion on either part of this strange partnership
August 7th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
another question we have to wonder about is was Madeleine alive and sleeping when her parents left the apartment that night?
August 7th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Madeleine McCann’s blood has been found on the walls of the holiday flat where she slept, according to fresh reports in Portugal.
Police say attempts were made to clean it off, making it likely that the four-year-old was killed, either by accident or design, in the holiday complex in Praia da Luz.
It follows revelations, 95 days on from her disappearance, that specially-trained British cocker spaniel sniffer dogs had located the smell of a dead body in the Ocean Club apartment - only possible if a cadaver had been left there for at least two hours.
According to Portuguese news reports, the police have virtually abandoned the kidnap theory or any hope that she may still be alive. It now seems that the new search this week of the home of Briton Robert Murat, 33, the only official suspect in
gibby zobel reports on the latest twist in the disappearance of the British child
the case, was designed to eliminate him from the inquiry, say newspapers. Nothing was found and the search ended yesterday.
It is only now, with British police at the forefront of the investigation, that the new evidence has come to light. Portuguese dogs are only trained to look for evidence of life, not blood or dead bodies, because the training chemical used is too expensive for the force.
Searches of beaches have been carried out again with the sniffer dogs, and a new sweep of the McCanns’ apartment is being made with ultra-violet light. The blood spots found are awaiting DNA analysis.
Police now say that the next two weeks are crucial to the inquiry. Maddie’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, are still in the Algarve resort and have yet to comment on the latest developments
August 7th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Odd How Mom Mccann says she thought the hotel THEY left Madeleine and her 2 yr old twin siblings in was safe and family friendly…
It is like she is putting blame on the hotel and not the fact that THEY left the children?
I just read an article that says investigators have known for a month that Madeleine died from an accident the night she went missing. I hope this is untrue. They did say they are not making alot of recent news available to the public because it would mess up the investigation.
Another point is…if Madeleine died that night, how could that friend of the family see a man carry a child out in a blanket? Did the child look alive? This has to be one of the strangest cases i have ever read about…..Sorta like the Jon Benet case…..
August 7th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
am sorry,i meant ex detective
August 7th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
i agree with u BEAM ME UP SCOTTY the portages police are not looking good at all, iread in the sun that an ev detective that now works for the child protection now said that the police should of found the discovery of the blood on day one,and that it just shows how INEPT the portuguese police were at carrying out the initial forensics tests.and the child abductor in switzland was in the ALGARVE when maddie went missing. and police are doing tests on a cup used by a girl fitting maddies description in TONGERON.
August 7th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
somebody said that maddie had been watched for days before she disapeared, there was a white van near the appartment,and the child abductor in switzland also had a white van.what do you think????
August 7th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
new info is just that blood was found, could be years old. until the DNA test is done could be anyone. but if its Maddys could throw suspicion onto the McCans and their friends. if it was an abduction and she died or was hurt during it, then i cant see said abductor taking her or if he did taking time to clean up the walls, after all he only has a time window of 30 mins to get in and get out. and what if the parent checks early. probably not a clue. but i was amazed to read that other tourists have stayed in this room since this happened. it would seem that it should still be a crime scene. even if the police are not keeping it ‘off limits’ why isn’t the holiday resort company? Portages police are really coming out of this bad
August 7th, 2007 at 11:12 am
Just saw this bit of info on the Daily Telegraph report
“It has also emerged that police are also investigating possible links between Madeleine’s case and a suspected child abductor in Switzerland who committed suicide last week.”
August 7th, 2007 at 9:18 am
am sorry about my spelling and missing letters,trying to see to the baby aswell SORRY
August 7th, 2007 at 8:42 am
i have 3 children,and 2 of them are little,my daughter is nearly 4 years old and i wont let her play in the garden on her own,and i have the gate locked at the top,am sorry ut there is no way that i would leave alone,no way,exspecialy on holiday. yes they did wrong,and i dont think they will ever leave the twins alone again. and if little maddie was taken from her bed then why dint th other two wake up.has the blood been cofirmed to little maddies. and did i hear right that RM is been cleared???????
August 7th, 2007 at 7:49 am
they are still not sure on the blood being found in the appartment belonging to little maddie,why HAVE they waited 3 months to check the appartment,does any body think the mcanns would hide anything regarding their daughter???? lots of things just doesnt fit….I HOPE LITTLE MADDIE COMES HOME SAFE AND WELL, she is still alive isnt she????
August 7th, 2007 at 4:50 am
A heartbreaking article i found while looking for new info about Madeleine…
TRACES of Madeleine McCann’s blood have been discovered in the bedroom of the holiday flat where she was last seen, according to reports in a Portuguese newspaper.
It was also reported that attempts had been made to wipe away any sign of the blood.
The newspaper, Jornal De Noticias, reported: “This evidence locates Madeleine’s death inside the apartment, but the investigators are still not certain it was murder, despite the fact that forensic experts have revealed that somebody did try to erase the blood traces.
“The theory most favoured by detectives to explain Maddy’s death - now taken as almost certain - is that it involved an accident. The investigators are convinced that the blood belongs to Madeleine, but they are still holding back the detailed results of the tests until their suspicions are confirmed.”
The discovery has refocused the investigation on the McCanns’ apartment and the group of friends with whom they were holidaying.
I’m not sure what to make of this new info. Anyone have an opinion.
August 7th, 2007 at 4:34 am
Alice….
Doesnt it seem odd that they would be looking for clues in the McCann apartment NOW, 3 months AFTER Madeleine went missing? One would think they would of checked the apartment and The McCann’s car, their friend’s cars right away to perserve any evidence. If they thought Murat was quilty of something, why not do the search of his home and car then.(they have gone back how many times?) Now we have to wonder if Murat did have a body buried there and what happen to it. I dont know what to think of the blood they found, no one says how much there was or where it was or how old it could be. Just seems odd that someone had time to wipe up some blood and like someone else posted, if someone took her why take the time to wipe it up. If they did something to her in the room, why take her? This whole thing has me confused and sick to think about what may have happen to Madeleine. I guess we will have to wait to hear about the DNA testing.
There is so much going on at the 3 months missing mark, The blood in the apartment, the dogs tell us that there WAS a body in Murat’s garden and The woman who says she saw Madeleine in Belguim(I am hoping this DNA proves to be a match with Madeleine) They have not arrested Murat, and news reports say there is now ANOTHER suspect. There is probably alot more going on behind the scenes….I keep hoping and praying for a good outcome.
August 7th, 2007 at 12:25 am
maybe I heard it wrong - but I dont think that they actually said it was the little girls blood - they did, however state that traces of blood had been found and that dna tests would have to be made to establish whose blood it is. Also, there was a report that said that this blood was discovered soon after the disappearance of Madeleine. There are lots of reports flying around, the truth will out soon - I think that it is a lot closer to a conclusion = and has been for some time - than we all realise. The villa search seems to be an elimination exercise now - with nothing found and the Murat family apparently being quite relaxed and even relieved that this search has taken place. There has been a report that another suspect is being monitored 24 hours a day… but nothing further on that report. Whether it is because of the huge media coverage and the exposure this case has got - there still seems to be a bit more to it all than meets the eye… checking cars hired 3 months ago? seems a bit of a long shot, doesnt it? There could have been a dozen kids in those hire cars during the past 3 months some may have had cut knees or bleeding noses - or maybe the cars were compounded by the police. We will probably never know
August 6th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Someone in the Forums asked why would a kidnapper even worry about wiping blood away if it belonged to the victim?
Was watching the News tonight , and the Police have examined a lot of cars belonging to Murat, the McCann friends, and a car hired by the McCanns themselves.