Murat's girlfriend 'spotted with Madeleine two days after she vanished'
Last updated at 11:21am on 18th November 2007
The girlfriend of Robert Murat, who was the first suspect to emerge in the investigation for missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann, has been embroiled in the mysterious disappearance.
Private detctives who have been hired by the McCanns claim Michaela Walczuch was spotted with the youngster two days after she vanished.
According to reports, a new witness has said she saw the missing four-year-old in a car with Frau Walczuch in central Portugal on May 5.
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Michaela Walczuch: It is claimed that a witness spotted her with Madeleine two days after the little girl went missing
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It is alleged that the female witness positively identified the 33-year-old Jehovah's Witness after being shown photos of women seen in the area around the time that the little girl disappeared.
The Spanish Metodo 3 detective agency is now scouring the undisclosed location for other witnesses who could help reveal what happened to Madeleine.
The agency says it believes a man and a woman were involved in the abduction.
A spokesman for the detective firm will reveal the sighting on BBC1's Panorama programme tomorrow.
But, it won't name Frau Walczuch.
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Suspect: Robert Murat
A source close to the investigation told the Sunday Express: "A new witness has come forward who has positively identified Michaela Walczuch as the woman she spotted in a car with Madeleine McCann two days after she went missing.
"She made the identification after being shown a large series of photographs of females known to have been close to Praia da luz in the days running up to Madeleine's disappearance.
"We are now working on the fact that Madeleine was taken from her Ocean Club apartment by a man and a woman.
"We believe the man is the same suspect that Jane Tanner described seeing 45 minutes before the alarm was raised.
"We cannot say any more at this time.
"For the moment we will continue to keep open all other lines of inquiry but we consider this sighting to be significant."
Francisco Marco, who is the director-general of Metodo 3, said: "We are 100 per cent certain Madeleine is still alive and we are close to finding her kidnapper."
Portuguese police are now working to trace the car she described.
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Missing: Madeleine McCann
Frau Walczuch set up a property business with Murat and lives less than five miles from the resort where Madeleine was staying with her family.
She lives in a flat which she shares with her estranged Portuguese husband Luis Antonio, 47, and their eight-year-old daughter.
The couple were interviewed by police on May 15, the day Murat was named as an official suspect in the case.
It was reported that the trio had shared the flat for six months while Murat, 33, continued his affair with the German woman.
Friends blamed the relationship for the breakdown of Murat's 11-year marriage to wife Dawn.
Frau Walczuch said: "I'm not going to answer any of your questions."
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If Maddy is (hopefully soon) FOUND will every malicious ANTI-THE-McCANNS subscriber to this site get down on their knees, apologise, and beg both the McCanns for foregiveness for the things they've said.
- J.F., MOSCOW RUSSIA
Another line of enquiry but surely this hasnt just emerged? Who are these sudden witnesses ....also Jane Tanner could not have thought it was Robert Murat taking Madeleine otherwise her description picture would have looked more like him, and it doesnt ! I hope they are getting closer and if they are , I hope the kidnappers dont have any access to the British Tabloids , otherwise they will know exactly what to expect !
- Jan Moore, woodford green