When three-year-old Madeleine McCann disappeared from her bed while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3, 2007, the world went into a frenzy.
On Thursday, almost 15 years later, Portuguese police identified German-native Christian Brueckner as an “arguido,” translated to “named suspect” or “formal suspect.” Brueckner has not been charged over the case, and his lawyers deny any involvement of their client in McCann’s disappearance.
He is currently serving a prison sentence in Germany for drug charges. Brueckner was also given a seven-year sentence for raping a 72-year-old woman in 2005 in Praia da Luz, where McCann went missing. Read more: Timeline of events: Madeleine McCann disappearance In 2020, German police revealed they were investigating Brueckner in connection to McCann’s disappearance.
The statement issued Thursday by Portuguese police did not formally name Brueckner, instead saying the suspect was identified previously by German authorities.