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

[Rocket333]

I wish the police or family would come forward with more information. If they want our help, tell us more. There are messages between family and friends that are known but not published.

If not, this is getting boring and I’m switching off this thread.

I doubt there’s anymore to give. Last known message was to a friend in Belgium at 12.20am and the contents has been shared.
His last known location was at Cosy Corner where it appears he’s attempted to leave by ascending both sides of the cliff.

Seems the info not released, as it’s unknown is who he was communicating with on Whatsapp, and what was discussed. That would hold significant info, but it’s encrypted.

Police have said he may have had company, as he was using Whatsapp and Google Maps, but he took dark backstreets and noone’s reported seeing him. They would’ve checked out whether he was using other social apps.

Put yourself in his shoes. Would you wander through unfamiliar back streets of an unfamiliar town close to midnight? Would you wander down a relatively isolated dark bushy track to the beach alone at night to sit on a deserted beach some distance away from mates, home and action?
If you walked down the bush track to Cosy Corner just for the fun of it, why not return that same way, especially if you can’t find a shortcut home up the hill/cliff?
If you were in trouble in that situation would you phone or text someone for help? Who would come first to mind? I’d suggest Antoine or someone he knew nearby. By all accounts he didn’t do that. Maybe he lost his phone on the beach in the dark.

It is feeling circular or like a dead end and will until some development happens, like a discovery.

 

[Matlock]

Where he actually walks up and down is at the oval along Cowper Street (not so much the next block down). He could be waiting for someone who was supposed to meet him at the Tennyson Street side of the oval, but then told him to walk across the oval to the Cowper Street side. He zigzags here, but once he leaves, it’s a direct or straight path. I see it as a curious blip on his journey.

Maybe he was simply trying to get to the beach and kept taking wrong turns. He seemed on a mission when he left the bar though.....

Maybe he went to one of those houses in your map?

I agree though, we have to wait for more info, we're going around in circles, we can't add to or guess much more at this point.

 

[mussopossum]

Theo Hayez's Dad Believes He May Be Still Alive And Being Held "Prisoner" By A NSW Cult

Almost two months since his disappearance, Theo Hayez’s father refuses to give up hope that his son is still alive.

Laurent Hayez told a Belgian radio station he believes his 18-year-old son might be a prisoner of a northern NSW cult. Cooked cults aren’t particularly rare in northern NSW, so Theo’s dad might actually be on to something with this theory.

 

[Sambam89]

LFTH fb group when asked about the hat

 

[T-dawg420]

Hi all, as I am new to this I hope this isn’t against the rules and if it is I apologise. In reference to the LFTH fb groups new poster with all of the items of Theo’s to be looking out for (minus the hat?). Has anyone noticed the comments regarding people (professionals and PI’s as well) being closed/left out of the investigation and referencing pics of the hoodie being taken down? Is it just me, or does that sound awfully familiar to anyone?

 

[Rocket333]

Hi all, as I am new to this I hope this isn’t against the rules and if it is I apologise. In reference to the LFTH fb groups new poster with all of the items of Theo’s to be looking out for (minus the hat?). Has anyone noticed the comments regarding people (professionals and PI’s as well) being closed/left out of the investigation and referencing pics of the hoodie being taken down? Is it just me, or does that sound awfully familiar to anyone?

I did notice debate over the artwork on his hoodie. Some wanting a likeness of his hoodie publicly promoted, and others saying it needs to exact or nothing. Someone said Lucas Beaufort had even confirmed the artwork on the front as his. Haven’t noticed (yet) those excluded from the investigation. What are you making of it?

 

[Rocket333]

Hi all, as I am new to this I hope this isn’t against the rules and if it is I apologise. In reference to the LFTH fb groups new poster with all of the items of Theo’s to be looking out for (minus the hat?). Has anyone noticed the comments regarding people (professionals and PI’s as well) being closed/left out of the investigation and referencing pics of the hoodie being taken down? Is it just me, or does that sound awfully familiar to anyone?

*Luke Beaufort (artist) I mean

Oh yeah, I now see what you mean. How totally ridiculous.... What’s that about???

 

[Sambam89]

Hi all, as I am new to this I hope this isn’t against the rules and if it is I apologise. In reference to the LFTH fb groups new poster with all of the items of Theo’s to be looking out for (minus the hat?). Has anyone noticed the comments regarding people (professionals and PI’s as well) being closed/left out of the investigation and referencing pics of the hoodie being taken down? Is it just me, or does that sound awfully familiar to anyone?

What sounds familiar do you think?

 

[BusterXP]

Hi all, as I am new to this I hope this isn’t against the rules and if it is I apologise. In reference to the LFTH fb groups new poster with all of the items of Theo’s to be looking out for (minus the hat?). Has anyone noticed the comments regarding people (professionals and PI’s as well) being closed/left out of the investigation and referencing pics of the hoodie being taken down? Is it just me, or does that sound awfully familiar to anyone?

There have been some stating that they are professionals but no qualifications are given.
My understanding is that some family members may have received abuse and have needed to step back and at least one member was removed from that group.
The post(s) removed may have referenced that former member or members.

 

[BusterXP]

Interesting that the next search (tomorrow) meets at Wategoes and is focusing on steep areas.
I would have thought the focus would be at Tallow Beach still.

 

[Roxn22]

There have been some stating that they are professionals but no qualifications are given.
My understanding is that some family members may have received abuse and have needed to step back and at least one member was removed from that group.
The post(s) removed may have referenced that former member or members.

Some guy on there was blaming the cousin Lisa. He might have been the member removed.

 

[Rocket333]

Interesting that the next search (tomorrow) meets at Wategoes and is focusing on steep areas.
I would have thought the focus would be at Tallow Beach still.

A few people on LFT have said that Tallow hasn’t been searched extensively so far, which if true is concerning, especially if that cap found there is his.
Does anyone know if you could edge your way around the cliff base from Tallow to Wategoes?

 

[Rocket333]

His hoodie artwork is distinct enough to publicly release I reckon. Try finding that same hoodie online. I’ve had no luck. So the chances of someone planting a copy or one being mistaken for his are very slim. If one turned up in the search, they’d take it for testing anyway. Can not understand the reasoning behind not releasing the artwork, especially as the artist himself has already confirmed it’s his design.

 

[RGrace]

I live pretty close to Byron and there is absolutely no way you can walk around the cliffs they are so sheer and steep.

A few people on LFT have said that Tallow hasn’t been searched extensively so far, which if true is concerning, especially if that cap found there is his.
Does anyone know if you could edge your way around the cliff base from Tallow to Wategoes?

l

 

[BusterXP]

Some guy on there was blaming the cousin Lisa. He might have been the member removed.

Someone else was left an abusive message but this isn't really the place for it so I won't say more. I'm just wary when someone pops up with anything that might be related to that.
The family are also victims here and the ones that might need to carry this.

 

[BusterXP]

I live pretty close to Byron and there is absolutely no way you can walk around the cliffs they are so sheer and steep.

l

There is access but it's treacherous. This recent fall lead to more signs put in place. The mother was courageous. While her son was in a coma she thought she had to do something so she campaigned for more signage.
"
"After examining media articles and talking to police, we have found out that many people have had to be rescued from this same spot after trying to walk around the headland from Cosy Corner on Tallows Beach.

"According to media reports, this looks deceptively easy from the beach, but is in fact, extremely dangerous, and it is only when you get into trouble that you realise that there is no way back."
'Devastated': Mum's heartbreak after son falls down cliff

 

[Rocket333]

There is access but it's treacherous. This recent fall lead to more signs put in place. The mother was courageous. While her son was in a coma she thought she had to do something so she campaigned for more signage.
"
"After examining media articles and talking to police, we have found out that many people have had to be rescued from this same spot after trying to walk around the headland from Cosy Corner on Tallows Beach.

"According to media reports, this looks deceptively easy from the beach, but is in fact, extremely dangerous, and it is only when you get into trouble that you realise that there is no way back."
'Devastated': Mum's heartbreak after son falls down cliff

Oh wow, thanks! It looks like Theo was trying to find a way home from (out of) Cosy Corner, and your article makes you wonder if he attempted to climb around from Tallows, and dropped his phone on the rocks and lost his hat in the process.

 

[mussopossum]

LFTH Facebook group and screen shot attached.

As we all assume the police obviously know more than what has been released IMO

Looking for Théo Hayez
23 hrs ·

The police are responsible for this investigation and they are following their well-established missing persons protocols. Anything done by the family and volunteers is simply in a supportive capacity to the police. There may also be reasons behind the actions taken that are not known or understood by the general public.

Questions, ideas and constructive criticism are all welcomed

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Am beginning to understand why Theo’s father thinks a cult might’ve taken him.

It’s quite clear from CCTV and gps maps that when Theo left CMs, he was purposefully going somewhere that was definitely not his hostel.

I don’t believe he met up with locals and an accident happened as there would be witnesses along the way and it’s too hard to keep a group of people silenced. Neighbours would have heard something or recognised someone.

This doesn’t look amateur either. I doubt it’s a coincidence Theo specifically diverted from public areas and CCTV. Most people would choose to walk along well lit and public areas, especially when in a new place. Unless given directions.

Therefore comments about Theo being given direction to oval, meeting up with someone and then led to beach make sense.

I’m inclined to think Theo left CM to meet someone familiar with Byron Bay but not necessarily local. Someone that didn’t call any attention to himself. Someone Theo felt instantly comfortable with. Someone that knew how to get Théo to trust him.

The perp could have acted alone, just look at all the abductions Ted Bundy managed, including how charming he was, ability to get around in nature and cover large distances.

But there is the question of managing all that alone in pitch black and perilous terrain. If the perp did lead Theo to a group of people who were in on the sinister act, then a cult theory makes sense in terms of getting Theo out with ease and why there are no witnesses. People in cults don’t talk. Perhaps even a female cult member was used to lure him to beach?

Either way, I think the perp must have had a vehicle. I can’t imagine a scenario in that area of Byron Bay without one.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

As it’s the most obvious route, I’m guessing Theo was at beach for a while, ran into bush in an attempt to hide and get away, lost hat, lost phone, and was dragged back onto beach, where he was taken, possibly to car park.

The reason for this is if perp was with him in bush, surely all attempts would be made to not leave evidence!

Was Theo’s 1am opening of WhatsApp an attempt to call for help while hiding in bush? Wherever he was, this was the last time phone was used or moved.