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Madeleine McCann suspect ‘told police questions about him can never be answered’

‘Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime?’ the man reportedly wrote

Ellie Crabbe
Saturday 07 June 2025 10:16 BST
A man identified by media as Christian Brueckner sits in the courtroom during his trial in Germany, Wednesday, April 3, 2024
A man identified by media as Christian Brueckner sits in the courtroom during his trial in Germany, Wednesday, April 3, 2024 (AP)

Christian Brueckner, the key suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, reportedly wrote a letter listing “decisive questions” that “can never be answered” regarding his alleged involvement in the case.

The 48-year-old German national reportedly sent the letter to officers saying questions which would implicate him in the case of the three-year-old British girl, who vanished from the Praia da Luz resort 18 years ago, cannot be answered.

Brueckner is currently in prison for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same resort in 2005.

In the note, seen and translated by The Sun newspaper, Brueckner reportedly wrote: “It is the important questions, the decisive questions that can never be answered.

“Was I or my vehicle clearly seen near the crime scene on the night of the crime?

“Is there DNA evidence of me at the crime scene? Are there DNA traces of the injured party in my vehicle?

A search team close to Praia De Luz, Portugal, where searches are being carried out by officers investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
A search team close to Praia De Luz, Portugal, where searches are being carried out by officers investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann (James Manning/PA Wire)

“Are there other traces/DNA carriers of the injured party in my possession? Photos?

“And, don’t forget, is there a body/corpse? All no, no no.”

It is not clear when the letter was written.

Brueckner spent time in the Praia de Luz area between 2000 and 2017 and had photographs and videos of himself near a reservoir.

It comes as German and Portuguese investigators finished three days of searching a 120-acre stretch of land near Lagos, Portugal, on Thursday as part of attempts to source evidence to implicate Brueckner.

In the searches, requested by German authorities, crews spent three days scouring scrubland and abandoned structures.

Brueckner is due to be released from jail in September if no further charges are brought.

In October last year, he was cleared by a German court of unrelated sexual offences, alleged to have taken place in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

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