British authorities have traveled to Portugal in secret to question acquaintances of the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, Christian Brueckner. The individuals, who hosted Brueckner shortly before the young girl’s disappearance in 2007, were interviewed in Faro. Metropolitan Police conducted the questioning with Elke Piro, 69, and her husband Bernhard, 72, who have had a longstanding relationship with Brueckner.
Recently, Brueckner was relocated within Germany following his imprisonment for the rape of an elderly woman in the same area where Madeleine vanished. Elke, a German national, expressed her belief that Brueckner was involved in foul play concerning Madeleine’s case.
In an interview with The Sun, Elke mentioned her interaction with the British police and her desire to see Brueckner face trial in the UK. She speculated that Brueckner may have encountered Madeleine accidentally and potentially harmed her in a moment of panic.
Elke regretted meeting Brueckner due to his troubling past, which he had disclosed to them. Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley hinted at the possibility of Brueckner’s extradition if new evidence emerges regarding Madeleine’s disappearance. Operation Grange, the Met’s investigation into the case, seems to be intensifying as German authorities have not made significant progress in their 18-year inquiry.
The Met declined to comment on ongoing investigations, and according to an undisclosed source, British detectives collaborated with Portuguese authorities during the recent questioning of the Piros in Faro. The couple had been acquainted with Brueckner since 1995 and had previous interactions with both German and Portuguese investigators.
Bernhard described Brueckner as a “classic sociopath” and expressed remorse for harboring him near Praia da Luz. Elke highlighted Brueckner’s dual nature, noting his erratic behavior and alcoholism.