A former associate of Christian Brueckner has confessed to being the person who alerted authorities to the location that police searched two years ago. The search, initiated in 2023 after Elke Piro’s tip-off, targeted the Arade Dam in Portugal in the quest for Madeleine McCann’s remains.
Despite an extensive search operation employing dogs, drones, and hundreds of officers, there was no discovery related to the missing girl who vanished from her family’s vacation residence in Praia da Luz in 2007.
Reportedly, the 48-year-old convicted sex offender frequented the remote area where he would spend extended periods alone in his VW camper van.
Elke, aged 69, and her husband Bernhard, aged 72, had a friendly relationship with Brueckner for several years. Elke disclosed that they distanced themselves from him after learning about his disturbing past. However, they last communicated in 2018, with the couple often allowing him to park his van on their property in the Algarve.
In an interview with The Sun on Sunday, Elke mentioned, “Christian was fond of the lakeside vicinity near the dam, which he referred to as his special spot.”
“He would vanish for days, and when questioned about his whereabouts, he frequently mentioned being alone at the Arade Dam. Upon discovering his involvement in the Maddie case, I informed the police about his attachment to the area, which piqued their interest.
“He described a specific location with rocks leading to the water, and I was able to precisely guide the authorities to that spot – where they conducted their search.
“Christian would camp there for days in his van, leading me to believe he might have taken Maddie there.
“I provided them with the exact spot he described in hopes that it would aid in finding some evidence related to Maddie – unfortunately, that was not the case.”
Recent reports revealed that British authorities traveled to Portugal discreetly to question Elke and her husband.
The couple, who hosted the sex offender shortly before Madeleine’s disappearance in Praia da Luz in 2007, were interrogated as witnesses in Faro over several hours.
Meanwhile, Brueckner was relocated in Germany after serving a seven-year sentence for assaulting an elderly woman in the same town where Madeleine disappeared two years later.
Elke, a German citizen, firmly believes that Brueckner had a role in Madeleine’s fate.
Expressing her thoughts to The Sun, she stated: “It’s frustrating because I knew Christian for many years and suspect he harmed Maddie. I hope the authorities can find a way to bring him to justice in the UK. That would be a significant development. I am willing to cooperate and provide testimony if required.”