New twist in missing backpacker case revealed
New evidence has thrown the case of missing backpacker, Theo Hayez, into a new light.
Appearing in the Channel 9 program, Under Investigation, the new evidence claims that the 18-year-old backpacker met up with an unknown local, went to a remote house in Byron Bay, and had his phone taken away from him.
Image: Under Investigation
The evidence also suggests he may have died at the hands of one or more people involved in the drug trade in the Northern NSW town of Nimbin.
Special investigator Ken Gambe told Nine that Theo’s belongings may have been taken from Tallow Beach and dumped 70 km away in an abandoned house in Nimbin.
But, when investigators searched the property, they found belongings of a different missing person, 42-year-old Thea Liddle.
Ms Liddle went missing on October 31, 2019, and her remains were found in bushland near Tallow Beach Road, Byron Bay, in July last year.
The new evidence examined by Nine comes from an analysis of Google tracking data on Theo’s mobile phone, which tracks his every step despite never being found.
Ken Gamble and fellow investigator Nigel Phair analysed the data from his phone, including searches he made and his movements, which were picked up by mobile phone towers.
Mr Gamble said they knew “when he walked and we know when he stopped”.
After being kicked out a Byron Bay bar three years ago and wandering off into the night, the Belgian teen disappeared.
NSW Police believed he was alone and lost, but the tracking data suggests he met up with someone and was taken into dense bush.
CCTV footage from out on the street showed Theo looking at his phone, while his search history showed he looked up the hostel he was staying at, despite then heading in the wrong direction.
An analysis of the data showed him taking an “erratic route” towards Byron’s Tallow Beach in the early hours of the morning after he was thrown out of the bar.
Mr Gamble theorises that Theo stopped to meet up with someone, with his tracking data showing he stopped at a recreation ground for seven minutes before heading towards Tallow Beach.
The data showed Theo taking a sudden turn down a bush track on one of Bryon’s coldest nights that year.
Mr Gamble said it was “quite obvious” that Theo took the turn because “someone knew a short cut to the beach”.
Fellow investigator Nigel Phair agreed, saying it “has to be a local to know … the route”.
Image: Under Investigation
Theo then moved away from the beach and into the bush, where his GPS was turned off.
However, the phone continued to track him, and was on the move along paths near the Byron Bay lighthouse 12 hours after his last activity stopped.
Finally, it ran out of power in the afternoon.
The new evidence Nine claims to have unearthed is to be presented at the Coroner’s inquest, starting in November, which will also investigate the death of Ms Liddle.
Image: Under Investigation