German Suspect in Madeleine McCann Case Released from Prison

A German national identified as Christian Brückner has been released from prison after completing a sentence for unrelated crimes. Brückner, under investigation regarding the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann, was freed on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, after serving a seven-year term for the 2019 rape of a 72-year-old American woman in Portugal.

Law enforcement confirmed that a vehicle, accompanied by police vans, left the prison in Sehnde, near Hannover, early Wednesday morning. According to authorities, his release does not impact the ongoing investigation into McCann’s 2007 disappearance, for which he remains a suspect.

In June 2020, German prosecutors announced their investigation into Brückner, suspecting him of murder related to McCann’s case. The child went missing on May 3, 2007, from a holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz. Authorities have stated they assume McCann is deceased, prompting further searches in Portugal. Despite being a primary suspect, Brückner has denied any involvement and has not been formally charged in connection with her disappearance.

Brückner has a history of criminal activity; he was acquitted last year of several unrelated sexual offenses committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017. The judge presiding over that case cited insufficient evidence and unreliable witnesses, some of whom were influenced by media coverage. His lawyer, Friedrich Fülscher, has expressed that if there had been sufficient evidence regarding the McCann case, charges would have been filed long ago.

Investigators from the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Germany continue to piece together the events of the night McCann vanished. She was last seen in the same room as her two younger siblings while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dined with friends nearby.

Following his release, Brückner must comply with certain conditions. He is required to wear an electronic ankle monitor, report regularly to probation services, and surrender his passport. These stipulations were confirmed by Fülscher and first reported by Der Spiegel.

In addition to the ongoing investigation into McCann’s case, Brückner faces a court date on October 27, 2023, in Oldenburg, where he is accused of insulting a prison employee. A district court previously sentenced him to six weeks for the offense, but his defense has appealed the ruling.

As the investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance continues, the focus remains on finding closure for the family and determining the truth behind this long-standing mystery.