Australia Australia - Theo Hayez, 18, Belgian backpacker, Byron Bay, June 2019

Welcome to Websleuths!
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves
Status
Not open for further replies.
That's an interesting path to take. There are tracks along that route that will get you to the beach. I visited a few beaches along there for surfing....... Just looking at the satellite images, paths can be seen, but accessing them at night? In the bright moonlight, yeah. WTF? It's really weird man. None of this makes any sense. What time was this, that he walked to Tallows?
After CMs, so from about 11pm. I’ve attached the reported route and the google maps one here to note the similarities. When was his last phone message to the Belgium friend? 12.30pm or something? He would’ve been at his destination by then surely, and the chat sounded future oriented and of no concern.
 

Attachments

  • 7A668095-75CC-4E0D-9F5C-F0A3C2E016D0.jpeg
    7A668095-75CC-4E0D-9F5C-F0A3C2E016D0.jpeg
    88 KB · Views: 21
  • 9EB95076-F6C5-43B2-941F-3FF489B56A89.jpeg
    9EB95076-F6C5-43B2-941F-3FF489B56A89.jpeg
    74.3 KB · Views: 20
His route was strange. Lost? Wrong turns? From CM
After CMs, so from about 11pm. I’ve attached the reported route and the google maps one here to note the similarities. When was his last phone message to the Belgium friend? 12.30pm or something? He would’ve been at his destination by then surely, and the chat sounded future oriented and of no concern.
What's he doing here? In the 2nd map, you provided there's a triangle pattern to his route. He goes across the tennis courts, does the triangle route, then off into the scrub towards Tallows. You were right. He had to have met someone that knows the area to get to Tallows. GMaps isn't gonna get you there is it? I never use GMaps so I wouldn't know. A person's guided TH to a location for whatever reason, and that person knows what happened. You're not gonna go swimming, and if someone did and a witness was there, it would have been reported, I have no doubt. Any human without a serious disturbance of personality, despite taking drugs, would have reported something by now. Anxiety and guilt would be constant. People do have empathy. Most.
So what would 2 people be doing down the tennis courts? If a female was going to go for a hookup, is it likely she would choose a backstreet location such as the tennis courts? If she didn't know TH well, would she consider it safe? And if you had sex there, why walk to Tallows? Would a female feel safe walking to a destination by herself in Byron? If there were more people at the tennis courts, why hang out there and not the beach? You're more likely to attract attention to yourselves if you're in a residential location.
 
The red line just FYI is explained by the officer the route that the Belgium police walked. It is not conclusive if they walked that red line due to data sjowing Theo also did. The translation is not including why they walked that line. If you look at the CCTV images they look at on their laptop you will see a female appear 2 - 3 times with notes in the images. There also appears to be other images Theo on there as well, one of what appears him with security guards I cant tell as too hard to see it.
Were they pictures of his girlfriend from back home maybe? I will have to look again, they are hard to see. In one picture at least a girl has very long hair like his girlfriend, the photo seems to be in B&W in real life she has red-auburn hair.
 
His route was strange. Lost? Wrong turns? From CM

What's he doing here? In the 2nd map, you provided there's a triangle pattern to his route. He goes across the tennis courts, does the triangle route, then off into the scrub towards Tallows. You were right. He had to have met someone that knows the area to get to Tallows. GMaps isn't gonna get you there is it? I never use GMaps so I wouldn't know. A person's guided TH to a location for whatever reason, and that person knows what happened. You're not gonna go swimming, and if someone did and a witness was there, it would have been reported, I have no doubt. Any human without a serious disturbance of personality, despite taking drugs, would have reported something by now. Anxiety and guilt would be constant. People do have empathy. Most.
So what would 2 people be doing down the tennis courts? If a female was going to go for a hookup, is it likely she would choose a backstreet location such as the tennis courts? If she didn't know TH well, would she consider it safe? And if you had sex there, why walk to Tallows? Would a female feel safe walking to a destination by herself in Byron? If there were more people at the tennis courts, why hang out there and not the beach? You're more likely to attract attention to yourselves if you're in a residential location.
I'm female and you are correct in your thinking here. I also think that either the sea 'or' a car is involved full stop.

I also think that 3 people would be the limit for involvement as you can't keep any more mouths shut than 3. Although much, much more likely 1 to 2 people. So definately no party could have happened.

I thought the theory about him getting swept off the rocks, dropping his phone in the rocks and the phone being swept off the following day sounded plausable but the only thing that doesn't make sense with this is that his cap was not with him.

If I had a cap on my travels I would feel attached to it and make sure I never left it behind (it was a cool night too). If it was caught on a branch while walking theough bushes I would stop until I found it. It's not likely he wouldn't have put in more effort to find his cap. Unless he didn't want to waste the battery on his phone by using the torch, that would be the only reason.

So loose your cap, then get swept off rocks as well and the phone being dry for a whole day?

I must admit, Theo seemed such a genuine and lovely guy, this case is so heartbreaking and so baffling. He was so very young, this is so unfair.
 
A sad case in the Dargo Plains Vic, a young guy died alone in the forest. He was missing for 6 days. His beautiful little jack russell 'Rocky' (who had originally gone missing with him) sat in the middle of the road until a car stopped (happened to be a police car) they followed him and lost him, then the next morning they found him again and he lead them to his Daddy who had died. He was only 23. It's just not right that this should happen to anyone so young, including Theo.
 
Were they pictures of his girlfriend from back home maybe? I will have to look again, they are hard to see. In one picture at least a girl has very long hair like his girlfriend, the photo seems to be in B&W in real life she has red-auburn hair.
Definately not pictures of the girlfriend they appear to all be shots of CCTV stills. On some of the laptop footage you see additional copies of those shots to the right of their screen and those images (including the girl) are there with quite a bit of written text under them.

Yes it is hard to see but she appears in at least 3 images I can see, could be just someone from the hostel or walking with him who knows.

You have to get it frame by frame and screen shot to try and get at least one clearish image.

I thought one the other images was him walking with someone next to him and another him standing with securiy. It is just to hard to make out.
 
His route was strange. Lost? Wrong turns? From CM

What's he doing here? In the 2nd map, you provided there's a triangle pattern to his route. He goes across the tennis courts, does the triangle route, then off into the scrub towards Tallows. You were right. He had to have met someone that knows the area to get to Tallows. GMaps isn't gonna get you there is it? I never use GMaps so I wouldn't know. A person's guided TH to a location for whatever reason, and that person knows what happened. You're not gonna go swimming, and if someone did and a witness was there, it would have been reported, I have no doubt. Any human without a serious disturbance of personality, despite taking drugs, would have reported something by now. Anxiety and guilt would be constant. People do have empathy. Most.
So what would 2 people be doing down the tennis courts? If a female was going to go for a hookup, is it likely she would choose a backstreet location such as the tennis courts? If she didn't know TH well, would she consider it safe? And if you had sex there, why walk to Tallows? Would a female feel safe walking to a destination by herself in Byron? If there were more people at the tennis courts, why hang out there and not the beach? You're more likely to attract attention to yourselves if you're in a residential location.

I am in Byron next weekend I will gran a few shots of the area around the tennis courts as I go thorugh
 
I'm female and you are correct in your thinking here. I also think that either the sea 'or' a car is involved full stop.

I also think that 3 people would be the limit for involvement as you can't keep any more mouths shut than 3. Although much, much more likely 1 to 2 people. So definately no party could have happened.

I thought the theory about him getting swept off the rocks, dropping his phone in the rocks and the phone being swept off the following day sounded plausable but the only thing that doesn't make sense with this is that his cap was not with him.

If I had a cap on my travels I would feel attached to it and make sure I never left it behind (it was a cool night too). If it was caught on a branch while walking theough bushes I would stop until I found it. It's not likely he wouldn't have put in more effort to find his cap. Unless he didn't want to waste the battery on his phone by using the torch, that would be the only reason.

So loose your cap, then get swept off rocks as well and the phone being dry for a whole day?

I must admit, Theo seemed such a genuine and lovely guy, this case is so heartbreaking and so baffling. He was so very young, this is so unfair.

Totally agree. That cap would’ve been precious to him. Do we know more precisely where it was found, or just somewhere on the headland?
 

Attachments

  • CFB035D6-4592-433C-9D30-C938A40AE49E.jpeg
    CFB035D6-4592-433C-9D30-C938A40AE49E.jpeg
    85.3 KB · Views: 19
So a confrontation between male and female ends in TH being deceased and she moves the body?
IMHO that would be just as likely and evidence-based, as TH exploring his sexuality with a local male, on a beach that is not known for being a gay beat.

I do agree that we should not be blinded by biases in our sleuthing. As long as we remain victim-friendly, as you may recall from a mod's post. Please be vigilant that line is not to be crossed.

Some indirect info on MSM... (if you are adventurous, there are plenty other sites offering more direct directions)

GET A ROOM: Byron Bay Mayor says beach is not a 'gay beat'

Australia has long had a gay beach subculture but they haven't always been safe spaces

ETA: These links implied that there are other more gay-friendly beaches around Byron Bay. Even if the mayor didn't like that.

Cosy Corner or Tallow Beach is not mentioned anywhere.
 
Last edited:
His route was strange. Lost? Wrong turns? From CM

What's he doing here? In the 2nd map, you provided there's a triangle pattern to his route. He goes across the tennis courts, does the triangle route, then off into the scrub towards Tallows. You were right. He had to have met someone that knows the area to get to Tallows. GMaps isn't gonna get you there is it? I never use GMaps so I wouldn't know. A person's guided TH to a location for whatever reason, and that person knows what happened. You're not gonna go swimming, and if someone did and a witness was there, it would have been reported, I have no doubt. Any human without a serious disturbance of personality, despite taking drugs, would have reported something by now. Anxiety and guilt would be constant. People do have empathy. Most.
So what would 2 people be doing down the tennis courts? If a female was going to go for a hookup, is it likely she would choose a backstreet location such as the tennis courts? If she didn't know TH well, would she consider it safe? And if you had sex there, why walk to Tallows? Would a female feel safe walking to a destination by herself in Byron? If there were more people at the tennis courts, why hang out there and not the beach? You're more likely to attract attention to yourselves if you're in a residential location.
Exactly!
Makes me wonder if there was someone he met at the hostel barbecue earlier that night, or even the day before, that he chatted with and made tentative plans. Maybe someone who was even st CMs earlier, and left before him.
It appears that he went to meet someone, and either they weren’t at the meeting spot/s, or Theo kept getting lost whilst trying to find the path to Tallows on google maps. Maybe arriving at the cricket nets was just an error whilst trying to follow the street directions, and then he turned around and corrected his direction.
It seems the destination was Cosy Corner at Tallows (map, phone ping, possible cap).
Possibly lured but what’s the motive?
 
M
Exactly!
Makes me wonder if there was someone he met at the hostel barbecue earlier that night, or even the day before, that he chatted with and made tentative plans. Maybe someone who was even st CMs earlier, and left before him.
It appears that he went to meet someone, and either they weren’t at the meeting spot/s, or Theo kept getting lost whilst trying to find the path to Tallows on google maps. Maybe arriving at the cricket nets was just an error whilst trying to follow the street directions, and then he turned around and corrected his direction.
It seems the destination was Cosy Corner at Tallows (map, phone ping, possible cap).
Possibly lured but what’s the motive?
Maybe Théo already met this person once already before, say to buy weed, and then on second meetup after he left CM, they spent more time together. If not Théo plus one male familiar with the area, then I can only think Theo, plus male and female backpacker went to Cosy Corner and some dispute, fight or overdose happened.

Police may have similar suspicions but lack evidence. But I keep wondering if we have Theo’s movements tracked so well, can’t they do same to link other person/s. If unintentional but not reported, mobile tracing should work.

If premeditated, planned, then perpetrator would not be using a mobile, switched it off, or doesn’t own one if homeless. This person probably not in CM, but nearby.

Third option, two dealers working together, one in CM setting up deals, the other outside closing the deal, maybe one or both went for a walk with Theo
 
Last edited:
M

Maybe Théo already met this person once already before, say to buy weed, and then on second meetup after he left CM, they spent more time together. If not Théo plus one male familiar with the area, then I can only think Theo, plus male and female backpacker went to Cosy Corner and some dispute, fight or overdose happened.

Police may have similar suspicions but lack evidence. But I keep wondering if we have Theo’s movements tracked so well, can’t they do same to link other person/s. If unintentional but not reported, mobile tracing should work.

If premeditated, planned, then perpetrator would not be using a mobile, switched it off, or doesn’t own one if homeless. This person probably not in CM, but nearby.

Third option, two dealers working together, one in CM setting up deals, the other outside closing the deal, maybe one or both went for a walk with Theo
Good points. Keep in mind though that Theo wasn’t carrying cash.
 
Good points. Keep in mind though that Theo wasn’t carrying cash.
Did Theo have Venmo or another similar app? Just keeping the possibility open that even if he didn’t have cash, you can’t rule out a drug hookup. Lots of drug dealers accept other forms of payment.

That being said, I’m not sold on the drug deal theory although it’s certainly possible.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Staff online

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
149
Guests online
1,462
Total visitors
1,611

Forum statistics

Threads
605,765
Messages
18,191,791
Members
233,526
Latest member
dr_snuff
Back
Top