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

[Rocket333]

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May be pay walled so have copied the article below.

Volunteers embark on ‘tough’ search from missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez
Emily Halloran, emily.halloran@news.com.au, Gold Coast Bulletin
42 minutes ago
Subscriber only
COMMUNITY members will today search for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez who was last seen in Byron Bay almost two months ago.

A group of volunteers will comb through Tallow Beach and are calling on others to help.

A Facebook event was created by a group called Looking for Theo Hayez said says volunteers would be searching some “dense scrub” off Tallow Beach.

Missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez was last seen in Byron Bay on May 31, 2019.

The silver necklace with two pendants Theo Hayez wore which volunteers are trying to find.
THEO HAYEZ: POLICE CALL OFF SEARCH FOR MISSING BELGIAN BACKPACKER

“This may be a tough search and we require many strong, fit people to assist,” the event page reads.

“We deeply appreciate your ongoing support and hope to find some answers for Theo’s family.”

Over the past couple of days, the group has been sharing photos of a “silver necklace with two pendants” Mr Hayez was seen wearing.

It is understood the necklace has not yet been found.

The events page advised anyone willing to volunteer to wear walking shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved top, sunscreen, hat, gloves, a walking stick and to bring water and snacks.

Volunteers gather to search for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez on June 30, 2019. The 18-year old was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey nightclub in Byron Bay, New South Wales on May 31. (AAP Image/Regi Varghese)

HAT FOUND IN NSW SEARCH FOR THEO HAYEZ

The group asks for people to use a GPS tracker application on their phone and email theohayezgps@gmail.com at the end of the day to monitor the areas which have been searched.

Those taking part will be meeting at the Tallow Beach car park at the end of Tallow Beach Road and will be searching the area from 9am to 3pm.

The search comes more than a month after police called off the search for Mr Hayez, saying they “do not have any more answers” for the teen’s family at this stage.

Mr Hayez was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey’s on Jonson Street at Byron Bay about 11pm on May 31.

THEO HAYEZ WAS ASKED TO LEAVE BAR JUST HOURS BEFORE BYRON BAY DISAPPEARANCE

Theo Hayez's final phone records, obtained by News Corp, show the route he took from Cheeky Monkey's about 11pm until just after 1am the next morning when the last recorded signal came from a tower near Cape Byron lighthouse.
FATHER OF THEO HAYEZ MAKES EMOTIONAL APPEAL FOR HELP FINDING HIS SON

He never returned to Wake Up! hostel, where he had been staying.

Mr Hayez had been holidaying in Australia since November, accompanied by his cousin, who has been heavily involved in the search.

He is described as being of caucasian appearance, about 180cm to 190cm tall, with a thin build and blonde hair.

He was last seen dressed in a black hooded jumper, beige pants and black shoes.

POLICE USE SNIFFER DOGS AND DRONES TO SEARCH FOR MISSING BYRON BAY BACKPACKER



Mr Hayez’s belongings, including his phone, bank cards and passport, have not been used since May 31.

Police are continuing to appeal for public assistance, including anyone who may have CCTV from surrounding areas from about 11pm on Friday 31 May 2019, or anyone with dashcam footage from Jonson or Tennyson streets to come forward.

Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

If he wasn’t removed from the area, that’s going to be the place.
I now strongly suspect pre meditated foul play by at least one male local, due to his specific and guided movements that night. I also bet the cap that was found is his, and was dropped and left behind unintentionally due to the dark.
I wish them luck for this search.

 

[mussopossum]

In That Belgium police interview with "Phillipe" they show video filmed footage along Jonson Street outside the Byron Bay Butcher and Deli, Billabong store which is located at 27 and 29 Jonson St.
It also shows filmed footage of a section of Jonson st where Factorie is at 34a Jonson St.
They also show filmed footage of The Northern hotel on 35 - 43 Jonson St.

I winder why this small section has been highlighted in filming.

They seem to be focusing on this small stretch of Jonson for some reason

 

[mussopossum]

If he wasn’t removed from the area, that’s going to be the place.
I now strongly suspect pre meditated foul play by at least one male local, due to his specific and guided movements that night. I also bet the cap that was found is his, and was dropped and left behind unintentionally due to the dark.
I wish them luck for this search.

I Have not walked through that trail so I am not sure of overhanging branches etc on the trail that could take off a cap if someone brushed under it.

I cant imagine him not noticing his cap fallen off his head as when i lose mine i notice it right away as you no longer feel it on your hair / head. If you were a bit drunk who knows.

If it was foul play also i often wonder would the perp bother even moving him. Why not just leave him there. It would be a long haul out of there with possible witnesses so would you risk it? or just run and get out there. The easiest would be to move him to the sea. Unless his phone was burried and then recovered by someone I cannot then explain how it did not ping again until later that day on June 1.

In new requests on the LFTH facebook page they are asking to keep an eye out for his necklace.

But what bout his ID, his credit card, his wallet? His watch even.

There have been no further posts about his hat or his black hoodie, his shoes.

Have they found them? (other than the hat that still being examined and unconfirmed as Theos)

I read on LFTH few days ago that the police had advised would take about 3 weeks for testing of the DNA.

From what I saw on the LFTH site they said hat was found about 12 days ago (from when they posted) which would be the 7/7 search team of volunteers (dont quote me here)
We are now at 3 weeks after the said hat was found (give or take a couple days) so we may or may not hear something this week.

 

[Rocket333]

I Have not walked through that trail so I am not sure of overhanging branches etc on the trail that could take off a cap if someone brushed under it.

I cant imagine him not noticing his cap fallen off his head as when i lose mine i notice it right away as you no longer feel it on your hair / head. If you were a bit drunk who knows.

If it was foul play also i often wonder would the perp bother even moving him. Why not just leave him there. It would be a long haul out of there with possible witnesses so would you risk it? or just run and get out there. The easiest would be to move him to the sea. Unless his phone was burried and then recovered by someone I cannot then explain how it did not ping again until later that day on June 1.

In new requests on the LFTH facebook page they are asking to keep an eye out for his necklace.

But what bout his ID, his credit card, his wallet? His watch even.

There have been no further posts about his hat or his black hoodie, his shoes.

Have they found them? (other than the hat that still being examined and unconfirmed as Theos)

I read on LFTH few days ago that the police had advised would take about 3 weeks for testing of the DNA.

From what I saw on the LFTH site they said hat was found about 12 days ago (from when they posted) which would be the 7/7 search team of volunteers (dont quote me here)
We are now at 3 weeks after the said hat was found (give or take a couple days) so we may or may not hear something this week.

Yep, I think the cap fell off and wasn’t noticed & retrieved. The cap results are due now & probably already known. It will be interesting if we get told the outcome or not. I’d imagine his wallet, watch, hoodie & shoes are on him, however the searchers would be briefed on and after any personal item. I guess the necklace is possibly one of those loose items that could have fallen off, like his cap. Giving something specific or extra to look for would also increase searcher morale I guess.

From the red dot map showing Theo’s movements, he walked from the bar to the oval and then down that Milne track and along the beach to Cosy Corner. He stops there, but there’s also a curious “Y” shaped forked couple of dots at the end that point to the bush and the sea.

I doubt a perp would move him, unless that’s the forked dots at the end of the trail. Cap may have fallen off then. Maybe the switched off phone fell out then too, and gave a final ping before it died or was retrieved the next afternoon.

Here’s that end of the trail forked dots image.

 

[T-dawg420]

I Have not walked through that trail so I am not sure of overhanging branches etc on the trail that could take off a cap if someone brushed under it.

.

First time poster but been following case since the start, just wanted to add something.

I am in Byron Bay as we speak, just down for a visit and myself and my partner went specifically went to cosy corner for a visit. We took a lot of pics and vids which I can post went I get home later this arvo as we are time poor atm. Pretty much at the end of the sand where the rocks and scrub starts there is a grassy patch with an old fence. As we were sitting on the sand in this spot I decided to input into google maps the best way to Wake Up and it didn’t take me too the cosy corner trail it actually told me to make my way too the tallow ridge track!!! (When I did a search from CC to Wake Up on google maps sitting at home it showed me the best way out was through cosy corner track - a different route when not physically in the area) On the google maps app it doesn’t show the tracks name on my particular device however it does name all the tracks, Milne trail, cosy corner trail and tallow ridge trail on google maps when accessed through safari. Now during the day getting up to the tallow ridge track looked very, very tough, I can’t imagine at night, maybe you can’t see how steep and rugged it actually is......which brings me to the reason I wanted to post.. I decided to attempt to get too the tallow ridge track and I only made it about a third of the way in, I have a pic of that too on gps satellite, but as I was walking through the dense scrub my hat was pulled off by a tree branch, quite an eerie feeling but I noticed it and felt it come off straight away! As mentioned above I’ll post some pics and more insights from the trip when I get home this arvo. Cos we were in CC as the sun went down and got quite dark very very quickly!

 

[Rocket333]

In That Belgium police interview with "Phillipe" they show video filmed footage along Jonson Street outside the Byron Bay Butcher and Deli, Billabong store which is located at 27 and 29 Jonson St.
It also shows filmed footage of a section of Jonson st where Factorie is at 34a Jonson St.
They also show filmed footage of The Northern hotel on 35 - 43 Jonson St.

I winder why this small section has been highlighted in filming.

They seem to be focusing on this small stretch of Jonson for some reason

I can’t make anything out on that laptop but doubt they’d show us anything that would jeopardise their investigations. It’s probably just cctv of the main drag to satisfy the journos need for ‘riveting’ pictures to accompany the story. I’d be after the footage of inside CMs or other venues etc he socialised in. He’s met someone locally who has engaged him and given him enough of a sense of safety to go off with them in the dark.

 

[mussopossum]

First time poster but been following case since the start, just wanted to add something.

I am in Byron Bay as we speak, just down for a visit and myself and my partner went specifically went to cosy corner for a visit. We took a lot of pics and vids which I can post went I get home later this arvo as we are time poor atm. Pretty much at the end of the sand where the rocks and scrub starts there is a grassy patch with an old fence. As we were sitting on the sand in this spot I decided to input into google maps the best way to Wake Up and it didn’t take me too the cosy corner trail it actually told me to make my way too the tallow ridge track!!! (When I did a search from CC to Wake Up on google maps sitting at home it showed me the best way out was through cosy corner track - a different route when not physically in the area) On the google maps app it doesn’t show the tracks name on my particular device however it does name all the tracks, Milne trail, cosy corner trail and tallow ridge trail on google maps when accessed through safari. Now during the day getting up to the tallow ridge track looked very, very tough, I can’t imagine at night, maybe you can’t see how steep and rugged it actually is......which brings me to the reason I wanted to post.. I decided to attempt to get too the tallow ridge track and I only made it about a third of the way in, I have a pic of that too on gps satellite, but as I was walking through the dense scrub my hat was pulled off by a tree branch, quite an eerie feeling but I noticed it and felt it come off straight away! As mentioned above I’ll post some pics and more insights from the trip when I get home this arvo. Cos we were in CC as the sun went down and got quite dark very very quickly!

Thank you for clarifying that hat side of things. It is hard to imagine unless you are actually there seeing the bush and tracks.

 

[bearbear]

I Have not walked through that trail so I am not sure of overhanging branches etc on the trail that could take off a cap if someone brushed under it.

I cant imagine him not noticing his cap fallen off his head as when i lose mine i notice it right away as you no longer feel it on your hair / head. If you were a bit drunk who knows.

If it was foul play also i often wonder would the perp bother even moving him. Why not just leave him there. It would be a long haul out of there with possible witnesses so would you risk it? or just run and get out there. The easiest would be to move him to the sea. Unless his phone was burried and then recovered by someone I cannot then explain how it did not ping again until later that day on June 1.

In new requests on the LFTH facebook page they are asking to keep an eye out for his necklace.

But what bout his ID, his credit card, his wallet? His watch even.

There have been no further posts about his hat or his black hoodie, his shoes.

Have they found them? (other than the hat that still being examined and unconfirmed as Theos)

I read on LFTH few days ago that the police had advised would take about 3 weeks for testing of the DNA.

From what I saw on the LFTH site they said hat was found about 12 days ago (from when they posted) which would be the 7/7 search team of volunteers (dont quote me here)
We are now at 3 weeks after the said hat was found (give or take a couple days) so we may or may not hear something this week.

also, what about his phone? or has it been found?

 

[mussopossum]

In regards to Theos phone not pinging again until the afternoon June 1,

Another scenario.

Was his battery low on his phone and upon looking at it for whatever reason after midnight at Cosy corner did he switch it off to save battery and decide to find a spot on the beach to sleep. I know its far fetched and was cold and anyone in right mind would not want sleep in the open in the cold however if he had been smoking or drinking more down there that night or exhausted and didnt want to walk all the way back to the hostel he may have had a bit of a rest and switched off his phone. Something could then have happened to him and his phone remained in a position near the water and pinged one final time before it went flat and was lost forever in the sea or sand.

If his phone pinged that final time I would love to know what caused it.

Phone being switched on again, the friend sending him a message and it going from sleep mode to message coming through then shutting down.

I wonder if this message that his friend from the hostel sent him that went unanswered from Theo was actually shown to have been delivered on Theos phone. As in with an Iphone you can see when it says "delivered" in a text or in messenger and can also see "read"

Im not sure if the friend sent an sms or FB message or Whats app but I wonder if there was a way for police to see if that message actually did go to Theos phone (as in it was switched on at the time) or it sat with the telco provider unable to be delivered as phone was switched off.

Reason I ask as I am still trying to figure out if the last ping on his phone was his friend sending him that message that time that he never answered.

 

[Rocket333]

First time poster but been following case since the start, just wanted to add something.

I am in Byron Bay as we speak, just down for a visit and myself and my partner went specifically went to cosy corner for a visit. We took a lot of pics and vids which I can post went I get home later this arvo as we are time poor atm. Pretty much at the end of the sand where the rocks and scrub starts there is a grassy patch with an old fence. As we were sitting on the sand in this spot I decided to input into google maps the best way to Wake Up and it didn’t take me too the cosy corner trail it actually told me to make my way too the tallow ridge track!!! (When I did a search from CC to Wake Up on google maps sitting at home it showed me the best way out was through cosy corner track - a different route when not physically in the area) On the google maps app it doesn’t show the tracks name on my particular device however it does name all the tracks, Milne trail, cosy corner trail and tallow ridge trail on google maps when accessed through safari. Now during the day getting up to the tallow ridge track looked very, very tough, I can’t imagine at night, maybe you can’t see how steep and rugged it actually is......which brings me to the reason I wanted to post.. I decided to attempt to get too the tallow ridge track and I only made it about a third of the way in, I have a pic of that too on gps satellite, but as I was walking through the dense scrub my hat was pulled off by a tree branch, quite an eerie feeling but I noticed it and felt it come off straight away! As mentioned above I’ll post some pics and more insights from the trip when I get home this arvo. Cos we were in CC as the sun went down and got quite dark very very quickly!

That’s great info. He hasn’t backtracked out of or from Cosy Corner though. He’s gone there via Tennyson, Cowper, Carlyle & Paterson Streets and the Milne track to the beach and stopped. It’s a one way journey ending at Cosy Corner.

The journey he took, specifically hanging around the oval, and going down the Milne track, makes me believe he was guided by someone quite familiar with the path.

 

[Rocket333]

In regards to Theos phone not pinging again until the afternoon June 1,

Another scenario.

Was his battery low on his phone and upon looking at it for whatever reason after midnight at Cosy corner did he switch it off to save battery and decide to find a spot on the beach to sleep. I know its far fetched and was cold and anyone in right mind would not want sleep in the open in the cold however if he had been smoking or drinking more down there that night or exhausted and didnt want to walk all the way back to the hostel he may have had a bit of a rest and switched off his phone. Something could then have happened to him and his phone remained in a position near the water and pinged one final time before it went flat and was lost forever in the sea or sand.

If his phone pinged that final time I would love to know what caused it.

Phone being switched on again, the friend sending him a message and it going from sleep mode to message coming through then shutting down.

I wonder if this message that his friend from the hostel sent him that went unanswered from Theo was actually shown to have been delivered on Theos phone. As in with an Iphone you can see when it says "delivered" in a text or in messenger and can also see "read"

Im not sure if the friend sent an sms or FB message or Whats app but I wonder if there was a way for police to see if that message actually did go to Theos phone (as in it was switched on at the time) or it sat with the telco provider unable to be delivered as phone was switched off.

Reason I ask as I am still trying to figure out if the last ping on his phone was his friend sending him that message that time that he never answered.

Could well be. We need more info though. All we know is this...

1 am: Last confirmed whatsapp message sent.
1.42pm: Last phone ping.

The phone battery probably drained and the phones probably on him in his pocket. He pulls it out of his right trouser pocket when he leaves the bar. It may have issued a final ping when Antoine messaged him. I tend to think though that he’d be receiving messages and notifications frequently, so that final one signals something changing I would say.

 

[mussopossum]

Could well be. We need more info though. All we know is this...

1 am: Last confirmed whatsapp message sent.
1.42pm: Last phone ping.

The phone battery probably drained and the phones probably on him in his pocket. He pulls it out of his right trouser pocket when he leaves the bar. It may have issued a final ping when Antoine messaged him. I tend to think though that he’d be receiving messages and notifications frequently, so that final one signals something changing I would say.

Totally agree regarding the ping and more would be received if his phone had been switched on all the time through the night / morning.

If his phone was in sleep mode I assume no ping would be received until it is out of that mode to allow calls / messages etc to come through

 

[mussopossum]

Not Theo related but is google maps related in search of a missing person (now located)

Police slammed over Google Maps search

Coroner hits out at police use of Google Maps printouts in search for missing man
Police said they’d searched bushland where a man mysteriously vanished. But 18 agonising months later, he was found in the same spot.

 

[Sambam89]

Does anyone know if the search area the volunteers are doing today was done by police initially too? I would assume so?

 

[Rocket333]

Does anyone know if the search area the volunteers are doing today was done by police initially too? I would assume so?

You’d imagine they’ve searched the Tallows area, but maybe not extensively or sufficiently given the dense shrub and difficulty. It seems THE place to be particularly thorough, especially with that cap being found 200m in.

 

[Rocket333]

Not Theo related but is google maps related in search of a missing person (now located)

Police slammed over Google Maps search

Coroner hits out at police use of Google Maps printouts in search for missing man
Police said they’d searched bushland where a man mysteriously vanished. But 18 agonising months later, he was found in the same spot.

Wow! That was a massive oversight. The poor father & Family.

The area covered with the public searches by community groups and individuals, plus the police lead ones is being monitored and managed by the LFT group from what I’m reading. The community would be taking this search to a whole new (possibly unprecedented) level due to their enthusiasm, familiarity, proximity, persistence and numbers. If he’s there, people power will be the reason he’s found.

 

[pheme]

Someone's probably said this already but ... phone could have died in early hours of the morning and shut itself off, whether Theo still had it in his possession or not. Someone found it the next afternoon and turned it on to see if it worked. It would have turned on briefly (maybe enough to ping a tower) then shut down again. They could have seen it worked, thrown out the sim card and then just gone on with using the phone. They mightn't even have any idea so many people are searching for it, could have left the area or even the country or maybe just not care.

 

[Sambam89]

You’d imagine they’ve searched the Tallows area, but maybe not extensively or sufficiently given the dense shrub and difficulty. It seems THE place to be particularly thorough, especially with that cap being found 200m in.

Exactly I hope at least after finding the hat they would have at least have had a bit of a looks

 

[Rocket333]

This what I’ve pieced together from reports and his path after CMs. That sporting oval on Cowper Street, and Cosy Corner are my two hot spots.

Timeline

31st May

7.45pm: cctv of Theo & friend Antoine at Great Northern bottle shop.

They both return to Wake-Up hostel for a barbecue.

10pm: Theo & new mates from Wake-Up go to Cheeky Monkeys.

11pm: Theo leaves the Cheeky Monkeys bar and immediately heads left up Kingsley Street whilst looking at his phone for messages and directions. He then turns left into Tennyson Street and walks to the end of it. (10 minute walk)

11.10pm: Theo arrives at the BB Recreational Fields at the end of Tennyson Street.

He turns around and walks across the field to Cowper Street.

He wanders up and down the edge of the field.

He then walks along Carlyle Street, Massinger Street, Short Street and Paterson Street and reaches the entry to the Milne beach track. (15 minute walk)

He walks down the Milne beach track to Tallow Beach. (10 to 15 minute walk)

On the beach he walks to Cosy Corner at the end of the beach. (10 to 15 min walk)

He doesn’t continue on from here.

12am to 1am: possibly on the beach and all seems ok.

1st June

1am: The last confirmed WhatsApp message was sent from Theo's phone.

He’d been chatting to friend back in Belgium about music, and returning home. Nothing of concern is noted.

1am to 1pm: ??

pm: New friend Antoine tried to contact him with no response.

1:42pm: Theo's phone pinged for the last time.

Puma cap found 200 metres in from the beach. Possibly Theo’s.

Searchers are now refocusing on this spot.

 

[gregjrichards]

Did LE manage to speak to everyone staying at the hostel at the same time as Theo before they left and people who were at Cheeky Monkey’s the night he was last seen? It worry’s me the perp(s) could be other backpackers who are long gone and either back home or anywhere in the world now. I wish we knew if Theo came to harm or if he ended up in the sea in a tragic accident.