Everything found in Madeleine McCann suspect's home after police find evidence that 'she is dead'

Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.

German police are said to believe Madeleine McCann 'is dead' after finding a mass of alleged 'evidence' at a property owned by the prime suspect in the case, according to several new reports.

The three-year-old disappeared 18 years ago from her from the Praia da Luz hotel apartment whilst holidaying in the Portuguese Algarve back in 2007 with her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, and her twin siblings, Sean and Amelie. Gerry and Kate left their three children in the apartment that night, having dinner at a nearby restaurant with friends when their eldest went missing.

The case of the missing British youngster has remained unsolved ever since, despite searches for McCann and appeals for information on her whereabouts still ongoing.

Madeleine disappeared in 2007 (PA)

A prime suspect

In 2020, German national and convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner - who was previously charged with several sexual offences allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017 - was confirmed to be under investigation in relation to McCann's disappearance.

Though Brueckner's ex-cellmate, Laurentiu Codin, told a court last year that he'd admitted to abducting a child around the time that McCann disappeared - as per the Mirror - he wasn't charged at the time.

In a shocking new update, however, prosectors reportedly believe Brueckner to be at the centre of McCann's disappearance, and that he is behind her death.

According to a report from The Sun, a disused factory owned by Brueckner was previously raided and local police uncovered numerous pieces of evidence during the search, several of which point to the fact that the toddler was killed.

The Times reports the discovery was made by chance in 2016 after police dug up a suspected grave on Brueckner's property, and found his dead dog, six USB sticks and two memory cards.

The horrifying content on the devices led to a full search of the property, which uncovered further evidence.

This alleged new evidence is understood to be the focal point of a new Channel 4 documentary - Madeleine McCann: The Unseen Evidence - which centres on an investigation carried out by journalists at The Sun newspaper, set to air this evening (Wednesday 7 May).

Brueckner was named as a prime suspect in the case in 2020 (Carabinieri Milano via Getty Images)

The new 'evidence'

A hard drive was uncovered during a search of the factory, which reportedly supports that the child was murdered.

The disc - as well as the USB sticks and memory cards - are understood to have also contained images of children around the ages of four and five.

A written description by Brueckner of having drugged 'a mother and daughter outside a nursery school' was also found, as per The Sun, along with a description of having abused a four-year-old blonde girl.

A number of masks were also found at Brueckner's property, alongside a collection of unlicensed guns and ammunition.

Also discovered in the abandoned facility were a number of children’s toys, and several bikes - despite the suspect having no children himself.

According to The Sun, as many as 75 children's swimming costumes were also discovered at the factory.

Brueckner's hideaway also contained an insurance document, proving he was at a music festival some years prior, where a former acquaintance alleged in 2023 that he admitted to being behind McCann's death.

A factory owned by Brueckner was reportedly raided by police (MICHAEL MATTHEY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

'Helge B' previously told police that, at a festival in Spain, Brueckner had asked him if he still travelled to Portugal, to which he said that there were now too many police checks since Madeleine's disappearance.

"I don't understand anyway how the little girl could disappear without a trace," Helge B claimed he told his acquaintance at the time, to which Brueckner reportedly replied: "She didn't even scream."

Further disturbing items found at the property were Brueckner’s dead dog, and records of Skype conversations with other paedophiles.

In one chat, Brueckner admitted to wanting to 'capture something small and use it for days'.

Responding to the new alleged evidence, a spokesperson for local German police force, Braunschweig police, told LADbible: "I can't comment on the documentary because I haven't seen it. In my opinion, the article in The Sun doesn't contain any real news and also contains few direct references to Madeleine McCann.

"I assume the article was published only because of the anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance and not because of the timeliness of the alleged evidence."