• NhuQuynh
• October 29, 2026

Nearly 20 years after Madeleine McCann vanished, investigator Julian Peribañez is renewing his appeal for information, hoping that someone may hold a detail that could help clarify one of the world’s most closely followed missing-child cases.

His determination remains strong, but his theory has not been confirmed. Peribañez, a Spanish private investigator who worked with the team hired by Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, has continued pursuing his own leads since the three-year-old disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007.

In a recent interview, Peribañez said he believes an organised Eastern European trafficking network may have been responsible. He has appealed to people in Portugal’s Algarve region who may remember suspicious individuals or encounters before Madeleine disappeared.

His theory remains an investigative belief, not an established finding. German authorities have separately focused on Christian Brückner, who has not been charged in connection with Madeleine’s disappearance. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

Peribañez has also acknowledged that he cannot confirm whether Madeleine is still alive. Nevertheless, he says he intends to keep searching and following information that could lead to answers.

As the case approaches its twentieth anniversary in 2027, his appeal highlights how much remains unresolved. A credible witness account or verifiable piece of evidence could be important—but no confirmed breakthrough has emerged from his latest statements.

Sources:

• The Olive Press — Julian Peribañez reflects on nearly 20 years of searching