Found Deceased France - Maëlys De Araujo, 9, Pont-de-Beauvoisin, 27 Aug 2017

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'THE INVESTIGATORS APPEAR BE BE HOLDING A MAN WHO OBVIOUSLY HAS THINGS TO TELL'

La Provence.com
http://www.laprovence.com/actu/en-d...elys-ses-parents-sortent-de-leur-silence.html


It's been two weeks since the nine-year-old Maëlys disappeared during a wedding in Isère. This morning, the search is resumed near Lake Aiguebelette, a place where the suspect used to go. This Sunday, Maëlys' parents break their silence in an interview with the Dauphiné Libéré. Through their lawyer, Fabien Rajon, they share the "torture" they have endured over the past two weeks and tell their side of the story.


The mother immediately went looking for a man with "strange behavior"

Fabien Rajon says the girl's mother said that "as soon as she realized that Maëlys had disappeared, she immediately went looking for her daughter of course, but also for a man whose behaviour during the evening seemed strange to her," she said. An intuition motivated by the ex-military's closeness to his daughter during the evening. Earlier in the evening, the child had described this man as her "boyfriend" and introduced him to another guest at the wedding as her "uncle".

"This man would have talked to Maëlys, showing the girl and her mother pictures of her dogs on his phone. The mother then left, letting the conversation between Maëlys and this guest continue for a few minutes," according to Rajon.


A suspect who has "things to tell"

According to the mother of the young girl, who was passionate about dogs, the ex-military officer did not seem to have been "especially concerned" when the searches started that night by all the guests,"nor really worried" about her disappearance when he was seen outside, near the party hall. "Unlike other missing children cases, investigators appear to be holding a person who obviously has things to say," the lawyer says.

"The parents logically say that this man holds the keys to the case. And to the extent that time is running out, because it is a matter of the child's fate , they urgently invite the accused to finally reveal the truth and end the unbearable wait imposed on them," he concluded.


BBM


*advertiser censored**king groomers who will even use the presence of a parent to inspire confidence in the child!

I think in this context, "copain" is "friend", rather than "boyfriend", JMO.
 
Timeline revised and updated to reflect the information from Maitre Rajon (de Ajauro family lawyer)

Saturday 26th/Sunday 27th August

- At sometime unspecified time during the evening, Maelys' father has an argument/dispute/interaction with NL because he doesn't like NL showing videos to Maelys

- at some unspecified time during the evening, both Maelys alone, and with her mother spend time talking to NL and looking at photos of his dogs on his phone.

- 1.30am: the childminder engaged to look after the ~20 children present at the wedding reception leaves. This is announced over the microphone by the DJ so that families are aware

- 2.45am: Maelys seen by/speaks to her grandmother

- "Around this time" (early articles, now either edited or unavailable mentioned ~2.30am): NL leaves the site. Early articles (now edited or unavailable) mentioned "to get cigarettes". NL's statement (during his first detention) says "to change his shorts because they were stained by wine". At some point he throws away the shorts "in a bin on the road". He claims to have been absent for "about an hour".

- ~3am - 3.10am (both times have been reported in articles quoting guests): DJ announces over the microphone that Maelys is missing & people (wedding guests) start searching - some take their cars to do so

- NO TIME ESTIMATE (it's just too fluid, because based on NL's lawyer's quotes and "sources" speaking to Dauphiné Libéré) NL returns to the site.

- Sometime between 3/3.10am and the arrival of LE, NL is seen onsite (outside the hall). He leaves before LE arrives (new info from Maëlys' mother, quoted by her lawyer)

- 3.57am: LE are called & rapidly arrive on site. Official searches start. Remaining guests (all or some?) are detained on site until 7pm/19h

- 4.15am: the site manager (concierge/gardien), who lives in a house on/next to the site is woken to come back to the hall

- ~5am: the wedding photographer (who had left ~9.30pm/21:30) was called to come back with his photos

- Some time in the afternoon: NL deep cleans his car

- 7pm/19h: the last guests detained on site are allowed to go



Monday 28th August

- official investigation for kidnapping launched


Thursday 31st August

- 10.20am: NL is taken into custody for questioning

- NL's residence is searched for the first time

- another man taken into custody for questioning


Friday 1st September evening

- both NL & other man are released

- According to a friend interviewed by Le Parisien, NL goes to her house


Sunday 3rd September evening

- NL is arrested and formally put under investigation for kidnapping and unlawful confinement of a minor. He is remanded in custody and remains there


Monday 4th September

- confronted by DNA trace of Maelys in his car, NL admits she did get in his car ("dog" story), with another child. Then they got out and went back into the reception hall.


Tuesday 5th September

- NL's residence (parents' house) and the surrounding area is searched, this is the second search of the house


Wednesday 6th September

- Dauphiné Libéré reports that the interior of NL's car (trunk/cargo area) was cleaned with a product, usually used for rims, which could throw sniffer dogs off a scent


Thursday 7th September

- Dauphiné Libéré reports that the DNA trace (mixed trace Maëlys' and NL's)was found on a dashboard button to the left of the steering wheel, while NL's statement says she got into the back of the car via the right hand passenger door


Friday 8th September

- Dauphiné Libéré reports that the little boy NL claimed was with Maelys (getting into then out of his car) does not exist after LE investigations.

Sunday 10th September

- New information about the night's events released in an interview by de Ajauro family lawyer (added above)
 
I think that is very damning evidence that he didn't seem concerned about searching for her, and just left, instead of helping the urgent search.

WHO DOES THAT?

And this is a trained military man, who could have been a big help at a crucial time, by doing what everyone else did, and immediately searched the area.

It is quite revealing that he failed to do so. Every soldier that I know would have thrown themselves into the mission of finding a lost child.

And he had this little girl calling him 'uncle'? That is a big red flag. He was absolutely grooming that poor sweet child, all evening. First with the dog pictures, then the videos, and then he somehow convinced her he was a relative or a close family friend...:mad:

BBM: NOT ONLY THAT, he has a trained search dog which may even have been there too, and HE HIMSELF has specialized training for searches!!!!!!

If I say what I'm REALLY thinking, I'll get a time-out. I am incandescent right now.
 
I think in this context, "copain" is "friend", rather than "boyfriend", JMO.

Removed gender! ;)

What worries me about these descriptions like 'copain' and 'tonton' is above all the proximity that they suggest, as if Maëlys and NL knew each other, when they had only met an like hour before.

I bet he had pictures of his dogs sitting in the back of the car.

:gaah:
 
Removed gender! ;)

What worries me about these descriptions like 'copain' and 'tonton' is above all the proximity that they suggest, as if Maëlys and NL knew each other, when they had only met an like hour before.

I bet he had pictures of his dogs sitting in the back of the car.

:gaah:

BBM: me too :(. That's a great way to describe it. While "tonton" is often a term used for close family friends as well as actual relatives, it's a HUGE red flag to me in this particular situation.
 
I thought his window of time was much smaller like 1 day but I did not realize he had about 5 days to dispose of evidence.
That is a lot of time, enough to drive to other countries and back multiple times.
 
I thought his window of time was much smaller like 1 day but I did not realize he had about 5 days to dispose of evidence.
That is a lot of time, enough to drive to other countries and back multiple times.

Or even simply 5 minutes from home: there are numerous lakes, rivers, dense forests, etc etc. There's a reason that LE are throwing major resources into the Chailles Gorges search, IMO. They've brought in specialized brigades of divers and mountaineers from other regions...

I'd love to know what he was doing, or if LE has narrowed down his movements between leaving the wedding reception site (we now know this was around 4am) and deep cleaning his car Sunday pm.
 
INVESTIGATION RETURNS TO LAKE AIGUEBELETTE

France Bleu
https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/fai...ur-le-lac-d-aiguebelette-en-savoie-1505034584

The searches for Maëlys have resumed this Sunday at the lake of Aiguebelette in Savoie. Three sonars explore the lake bottom and eight divers. At the Gorges de Chailles, almost the entire site would have been inspected by investigators. There is still no sign of the 9-year-old girl.


Two weeks after the girl's disappearance at a wedding in Pont-de-Beauvoisin, the investigators' search seems to focus on this lake, only 20 minutes drive from the place where Maëlys was last seen. The principal suspect, a 34-year-old male, used to walk his dogs by the lake, according to investigators.

Eight members of the nautical brigades of Strasbourg, Villefranche-sur-Saone, and Aix-les-Bains search the lake. But they can't reach the bottom and are helped by three sonar boats in their search. Two come from Strasbourg and one from Switzerland. This is the third search in this lake of just over five square kilometres, and 80 metres deep, located on the edge of the Épine mountain range.


The investigators spent the week exploring a steep area: the Gorges de Chailles, but according to them this area was inspected almost in its entirety.


BBM


Why don't they use SAR & cadaver dogs? These dogs can pick up the faintest smells, they will indicate the spot and then the divers go in.
 
Or even simply 5 minutes from home: there are numerous lakes, rivers, dense forests, etc etc. There's a reason that LE are throwing major resources into the Chailles Gorges search, IMO. They've brought in specialized brigades of divers and mountaineers from other regions...

I'd love to know what he was doing, or if LE has narrowed down his movements between leaving the wedding reception site (we now know this was around 4am) and deep cleaning his car Sunday pm.

He was detained from Tuesday to Friday, so I guess LE knew where he was at that time...
Given that he had been detained already, IMHO he would have made sure not to attract more attention. In case they were keeping an eye on him.
 
This is JMO, and speculation:

I'm still not sure if I'm convinced that the last time Maelys was seen (by grandmother) was as late as 2.45am. I *think* that it could have been earlier and that 2.45am MIGHT be when family realized they hadn't seen her for a while or were gathering themselves up to leave and started looking for her. THEN got the announcement made over the microphone around 3am.


NB: I have NO negative thoughts or implications about the family, and none should be construed from my train of thought on this.

As I said, JMO/speculation.
 
He was detained from Tuesday to Friday, so I guess LE knew where he was at that time...
Given that he had been detained already, IMHO he would have made sure not to attract more attention. In case they were keeping an eye on him.

He was initially detained from Thursday 31st August 10.20am to Friday 1st September evening. He was taken back into custody in the evening of Sunday 3rd September.

http://www.ledauphine.com/isere-nor...n-homme-interroge-par-les-juges-d-instruction
 
He was initially detained from Thursday 31st August 10.20am to Friday 1st September evening. He was taken back into custody in the evening of Sunday 3rd September.

http://www.ledauphine.com/isere-nor...n-homme-interroge-par-les-juges-d-instruction

Thursday ineed, my bad ...

He deep-cleaned his car on Sunday, and he probably would not have used it for anything relating to Maëlys after that IMHO.

Also, I recall that he and another man had been interviewed before (on Monday or Tuesday?) and were brought in to clarify inconsistencies in their previous declarations.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ted-french-police-investigation-a7921636.html

He had already been interviewed by police and had given an inconsistent account of his whereabouts on the night Maëlys went missing.


IMHO after Maëlys was discovered missing, his movements were constrained due to the ongoing investigation, the fact that he had to keep his car clean for the sale and for reasons relating to Maëlys, and because he was with sick leave, suffering from back pains which may have limited him in walking more than a certain distance.

I don't see him crossing borders, but if he did, chances are that a safety camera noticed him, or he was flashed for speeding.
 
Thursday ineed, my bad ...

He deep-cleaned his car on Sunday, and he probably would not have used it for anything relating to Maëlys after that IMHO.

Also, I recall that he and another man had been interviewed before (on Monday or Tuesday?) and were brought in to clarify inconsistencies in their previous declarations.





IMHO after Maëlys was discovered missing, his movements were constrained due to the ongoing investigation, the fact that he had to keep his car clean for the sale and for reasons relating to Maëlys, and because he was with sick leave, suffering from back pains which may have limited him in walking more than a certain distance.

I don't see him crossing borders, but if he did, chances are that a safety camera noticed him, or he was flashed for speeding.

Just adding links to the sources the Independent used for its article (mainly so that I can find them again, if needed!)

http://www.ledauphine.com/isere-nor...aelys-un-homme-de-24-ans-place-en-garde-a-vue

http://www.bfmtv.com/police-justice/disparition-de-maelys-un-homme-place-en-garde-a-vue-1246376.html

I agree that it's highly unlikely NL went *far* (over the border etc) from home between Sunday early am and Thursday morning.

I also agree that he must have been questioned sometime between Sunday early am and Thursday am when he was initially brought in for questioning on the discrepancies in his early account (can't find any dates/precise info on that).
 
INVESTIGATION RETURNS TO LAKE AIGUEBELETTE

...

Why don't they use SAR & cadaver dogs? These dogs can pick up the faintest smells, they will indicate the spot and then the divers go in.

RSBM:

1) If Maelys was carried, rather than walked to/on/around any place that is being searched, I don't think SAR or cadaver dogs could pick up a scent (see reports of SAR dogs "marking" in the parking lot at the reception site, but not finding anything further out than that). I could be wrong - I'm not at all sure about the capability of these wonderful animals.

2) I can't find where I originally read it, and am trying to find the reference link, but IIRC, there are very few cadaver (as opposed to SAR) dogs in France. Will update/correct if/when I find that.

ETA: found the links:
http://www.lemalinois.fr/chien-pisteur-de-sang-ou-de-restes-humains.html.
https://www.gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr/cegn/content/download/736/7522/version/2/file/gnic.pdf
There are only 9 official cadaver dogs in France, belonging to a specialized unit of the Gendarmerie.


3) Perhaps SAR dogs are being used and that just didn't make it into the report?

4) Let's not forget that NL has specialized knowledge in training and handling "sniffer" dogs...
 
Or even simply 5 minutes from home: there are numerous lakes, rivers, dense forests, etc etc. There's a reason that LE are throwing major resources into the Chailles Gorges search, IMO. They've brought in specialized brigades of divers and mountaineers from other regions...

I'd love to know what he was doing, or if LE has narrowed down his movements between leaving the wedding reception site (we now know this was around 4am) and deep cleaning his car Sunday pm.

Yeah it is a very forrest dense area with large bodies of water hills and ravines, I believe authorities have good reason to be looking in the Chailles Gorges.
The scratches on him if they really where from branches imply that too.
If she is already deceased they'll probably find her around that area.

I also wonder if his phone gave them any clues, according to some articles NL had a second phone he tried to hide as if there was incriminating evidence on it.
And whether they contain more information about his movements that day and the following days.
 


Why don't they use SAR & cadaver dogs? These dogs can pick up the faintest smells, they will indicate the spot and then the divers go in.


That's what I thought also to do grid searches with cadaver dogs they are better able to detect a hidden grave site also.

I wonder when the authorities established NL had scratches because if he had a time window of 5 days at least then I think its probable he went back to dispose of evidence better and gotten those scratches later not on the day of the dissapearance itself.
It is logical to focus on that 1 hour time frame where NL and the girl dissapeared from the party because its a crucial time frame.
But I think that in the 5 days after he had much more opportunity to cover his tracks.
 
Thursday ineed, my bad ...

He deep-cleaned his car on Sunday, and he probably would not have used it for anything relating to Maëlys after that IMHO.

Also, I recall that he and another man had been interviewed before (on Monday or Tuesday?) and were brought in to clarify inconsistencies in their previous declarations.





IMHO after Maëlys was discovered missing, his movements were constrained due to the ongoing investigation, the fact that he had to keep his car clean for the sale and for reasons relating to Maëlys, and because he was with sick leave, suffering from back pains which may have limited him in walking more than a certain distance.

I don't see him crossing borders, but if he did, chances are that a safety camera noticed him, or he was flashed for speeding.

It could well be that the DNA trace that contained NL and the girls DNA gotten there after he deep cleaned his car and then went back to hide her body.
He could use his car after deep cleaning it easily for things relating the girl as long as he isnt going to transport bodies with it.
I can see him getting those scratches from carrying around her body in those dense forrest mountainous area.
 
Yeah it is a very forrest dense area with large bodies of water hills and ravines, I believe authorities have good reason to be looking in the Chailles Gorges.
The scratches on him if they really where from branches imply that too.
If she is already deceased they'll probably find her around that area.

I also wonder if his phone gave them any clues, according to some articles NL had a second phone he tried to hide as if there was incriminating evidence on it.
And whether they contain more information about his movements that day and the following days.

I'm quite convinced that the 2 phones have yielded information that is useful to LE about his movements.

It's possible that the car also had onboard electronics* (JMO/speculation because I don't know the exact year/model of the Audi A3 he has) which could help with that too.

*I used to (briefly) drive an Audi A4: the onboard computer & GPS saved A LOT of info, even though we never really actively used it... JMO.
 
RSBM:

1) If Maelys was carried, rather than walked to/on/around any place that is being searched, I don't think SAR or cadaver dogs could pick up a scent (see reports of SAR dogs "marking" in the parking lot at the reception site, but not finding anything further out than that). I could be wrong - I'm not at all sure about the capability of these wonderful animals.

2) I can't find where I originally read it, and am trying to find the reference link, but IIRC, there are very few cadaver (as opposed to SAR) dogs in France. Will update/correct if/when I find that.

ETA: found the links:
http://www.lemalinois.fr/chien-pisteur-de-sang-ou-de-restes-humains.html.
https://www.gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr/cegn/content/download/736/7522/version/2/file/gnic.pdf
There are only 9 official cadaver dogs in France, belonging to a specialized unit of the Gendarmerie.


3) Perhaps SAR dogs are being used and that just didn't make it into the report?

4) Let's not forget that NL has specialized knowledge in training and handling "sniffer" dogs...

I was referring to sniffer dogs that are trained to locate bodies under water. They can detect human smell through the water. The can also detect cars under water, even if no one is in them, because cars usually have the scent of the driver in them.

Don't ask me how they do it, and not all dogs can, but the super noses are able to do just that.

Short video about how this works, music only:
[video=youtube;s1Y5kcMSs84]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=68&v=s1Y5kcMSs84[/video]
 
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