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

[Elainera]

Why was he running?

Was he meeting someone who was about to leave and they urged him to hurry? But that doesn't really make sense because just minutes before he was still at the CM with no intention to leave or meet anyone elsewhere.

Did he need to use the bathroom urgently?

Did he feel very cold suddenly?

None of the reasons I can come up with makes real sense to me.

 

[Aron.Wor]

Why was he running?

Was he meeting someone who was about to leave and they urged him to hurry? But that doesn't really make sense because just minutes before he was still at the CM with no intention to leave or meet anyone elsewhere.

Did he need to use the bathroom urgently?

Did he feel very cold suddenly?

None of the reasons I can come up with makes real sense to me.

He was late for a rendezvous.

 

[SouthAussie]

He was late for a rendezvous.

Theo made a time for a rendezvous, and then he was ejected from Cheeky Monkey's just in time to run to the rendezvous?
It is not as if he left Cheeky Monkey's by his own decision. Presumably he would have stayed for longer, if he had a choice.

 

[Aron.Wor]

Perhaps he knew of someone in the area. An app perhaps. Got kicked out, made the rendezvous, thinking he had more time than he did to get to the location.

What do we know about TH? Did he enjoy drugs? Was he bisexual? Was he a "deviant" by any standards? All I see is mostly superficial posts by strangers and posts by his family. What family truely knows their teenage son? We all have secrets I assume. Perhaps that family didn't.
Someone knows something, it seems.

 

[Mountain Misst]

Has cctv footage come to light with a more specific time than last seen around 11pm leaving Cheeky Monkeys?
What's the situation with potential love life back in Belgium?

 

[Matlock]

I thought that most of the footage was unverified by police and that the last verified footage was of Theo leaving CM via Kingsley St. Then why would police ask for footage along Tennyson but not Middleton St?

 

[Aron.Wor]

Has cctv footage come to light with a more specific time than last seen around 11pm leaving Cheeky Monkeys?
What's the situation with potential love life back in Belgium?

GF. Apparently in love, or was. Not sure of existing status when TH disappeared, But he came alone, did he not? Which would beg the question why did he not come with his GF, is they were still together, or why wasn't he traveling with anyone else? He does have family here, but still....

 

[Mountain Misst]

If there's not been anything come to light about communication between gf and Theo from phone records (yes I realise that his phone is missing - that doesn't stop records being released from the carrier) - IMO look to environmental factors.
Other scenario I would consider, is the close proximity of Byron for drug supplies out of Nimbin. A combination of alcohol/party pills and hydroponic weed = misadventure for someone disorientated and not familiar with the area. The toxicity potential could certainly lead to a psychotic reaction. We've seen that often enough in the WS threads.
No discarded clothes found? Just the ping out at the lighthouse?

 

[Aron.Wor]

If there's not been anything come to light about communication between gf and Theo from phone records (yes I realise that his phone is missing - that doesn't stop records being released from the carrier) - IMO look to environmental factors.
Other scenario I would consider, is the close proximity of Byron for drug supplies out of Nimbin. A combination of alcohol/party pills and hydroponic weed = misadventure for someone disorientated and not familiar with the area. The toxicity potential could certainly lead to a psychotic reaction. We've seen that often enough in the WS threads.
No discarded clothes found? Just the ping out at the lighthouse?

Of course. I did theorize that the known path he did take would take him past an area close to the beach, known for illegal camping. (backers in vans), and perhaps met someone crossing that area, engaged with some drugs that had a bad effect, and the campers freaked out, threw the phone on the way out of town and took TH to another location.
Just a theory. I imagine there'd be information on illegal backpackers camping there, or witnesses. Some arrive late at night as to go unnoticed. So if there are no cameras in that grassy area.......

 

[mussopossum]

There is CCTV (not released) of Theo walking much closer to his hostel.
There is also witness statement, retold by someone else - not sure if it is CCTV or a sighting - of him running along Jonson Street much closer to his hostel.

Police were asking for info and dashcam footage of Jonson and Tennyson Streets.


"I am appealing for anyone that has information or dashcam footage from Jonson or Tennyson streets around 11pm on Friday, May 31, to come forward," he said.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...en-leaving-byron-bay-bar-20190610-p51w62.html

"There is CCTV (not released) of Theo walking much closer to his hostel."

Do we know why this CCTV has not been released?

 

[simochomps]

"There is CCTV (not released) of Theo walking much closer to his hostel."

Do we know why this CCTV has not been released?

Not as far as I know, but I believe there's a lot more that hasn't been said to the public/MSM.

 

[mussopossum]

If there's not been anything come to light about communication between gf and Theo from phone records (yes I realise that his phone is missing - that doesn't stop records being released from the carrier) - IMO look to environmental factors.
Other scenario I would consider, is the close proximity of Byron for drug supplies out of Nimbin. A combination of alcohol/party pills and hydroponic weed = misadventure for someone disorientated and not familiar with the area. The toxicity potential could certainly lead to a psychotic reaction. We've seen that often enough in the WS threads.
No discarded clothes found? Just the ping out at the lighthouse?

I went down the possibility of drugs too. Even if family and friends of any child or person in general say that they are responsible and would never do drugs, how many have when having a good night out in a foreign country, new friends, about to return home etc. Sometimes the temptation is too much if already a bit drunk and they just give it a try just that once. He does seem too sensible to try something like Ice but other party drugs may be be easily available and tempting. His friends said that he had not had much to drink and did not consider him intoxicated so I wonder if he was slipped something that made him become more out of control and appear intoxicated and he was asked to leave. I used to live 3 hours from a major city and would sneak out of bed at night and join my friends in a car trip and back to that city but my parents never knew I was gone and denied I would have ever been so stupid and done something like that at age 16 when someone mentioned to them. Just shows, never really know everything if your kids dont want you to. So my point is, even though he has been described as a very sensible young man he was in a different country where sometimes your judgement goes out the window or things can happen as you are in an area you are not familiar with. I am not saying he was on drugs or he has taken them intentionally, but I know in some drugs they can lead you to believe that you are being chased or attacked or hallucinate things not really happening. This could explain him seen running on Shirley Street and if for any reason he attempted to go near the beach or headlands, his mind would not have been able to determine any danger at the time. Again all hypothetical what ifs. IMO I dont believe he has intentionally taken anything.

 

[mussopossum]

Not as far as I know, but I believe there's a lot more that hasn't been said to the public/MSM.

Agree.

 

[Aron.Wor]

DMT is common up there and foreigners actively seek the drug because it's made from a native Australian tree.

 

[Matlock]

There is CCTV (not released) of Theo walking much closer to his hostel.
There is also witness statement, retold by someone else - not sure if it is CCTV or a sighting - of him running along Jonson Street much closer to his hostel.

Police were asking for info and dashcam footage of Jonson and Tennyson Streets.


"I am appealing for anyone that has information or dashcam footage from Jonson or Tennyson streets around 11pm on Friday, May 31, to come forward," he said.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...en-leaving-byron-bay-bar-20190610-p51w62.html

They may be asking for Jonson St. Footage to see him 'exit' the Cheeky Monkey at around 11pm because straight after that he turned up Kingsley then police seem to know he then went down Tennyson and not Middleton St. (Middleton is first street he would have come to on the left) I read somewhere that other footage near his hostel was not properly verified and was just grainy images? This may include the 'running' footage too? I have no idea. The only footage released and verified at this point is Kingsley St. Which was 'not' the way to his hostel. Could something have happened in Tennyson St?

 

[SouthAussie]

"There is CCTV (not released) of Theo walking much closer to his hostel."
Do we know why this CCTV has not been released?

They may be asking for Jonson St. Footage to see him 'exit' the Cheeky Monkey at around 11pm because straight after that he turned up Kingsley then police seem to know he then went down Tennyson and not Middleton St. (Middleton is first street he would have come to on the left) I read somewhere that other footage near his hostel was not properly verified and was just grainy images? This may include the 'running' footage too? I have no idea. The only footage released and verified at this point is Kingsley St. Which was 'not' the way to his hostel. Could something have happened in Tennyson St?

I have considered before - and I am still considering it - that dashcam footage might be more to see what vehicles were on the street around that time, parked or moving or both.
Dashcam footage is particularly useful for seeing other vehicles, more than it is for seeing pedestrians.

Police are not in the habit of releasing all the CCTV that they have.
And when they do release it, it is generally for strategic reasons, in my experience.

In the Jill Meagher case we saw CCTV of her walking down the street, before she was murdered. It wasn't until they were just about to arrest Bayley that they started showing CCTV of him following her, but I think they had that CCTV footage the whole time.

 

[BusterXP]

Footage opposite the Aloha is totally unconfirmed. At first it seemed to fit with the timing from Cheeky Monkeys back to the hostel and there was some confidence in it. It has later been deemed inconclusive.
There was only a single mention of Theo seen running in a TV interview. The person who made that statement didn't see it but brought it up and said it was unfortunate that he arrived home around that time and saw nothing. The sighting of Theo seen running is unconfirmed.
Theo's girlfriend posted publicly about her wishes that Theo would be found.
As far as questions re WhatsApp, it's known that he opened it but unsure of his use of it - WhatsApp are assisting with the Police.
I've been involved in the search and have had direct contact with a family member. Everything here is what has been released (except for info re his gf).

 

[SouthAussie]

It's not sounding very hopeful, is it?
I so hope that the police have information that they are investigating behind the scenes, and are not (only) waiting for new information.


The family has requested privacy in the wake of the news.
In a post to the Byron Bay community Detective Chief Inspector Matt Kehoe announced news the search had come to an end "with much sadness".

"This was not an easy decision but has been done in communication with experts and importantly, Theo's family," he wrote.
"It has been a very emotional day for Theo's family members and those involved in this operation and it will no doubt take an emotional toll in our community."

Supt Roptell thanked all of those who helped in the search for Theo.
"It's times like this which shows the strength of our community," he said.
Search for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez suspended by police

 

[CuriousCritter]

How intoxicated was Theo before he ventured to Cheeky Monkeys??

What time did they start drinking that day/night??

Theo was obviously not that intoxicated to be allowed entry to CM and buy 2 drinks. Thing's are just not adding up.

The manager of CM said he only had 2 drinks

Cheeky Monkey's manager Colm Brennan said the 18-year-old Belgian had been at the tourist bar for just a few hours on May 31 and only had two drinks before he was asked to leave by security at about 11pm.

"He sat down, he chatted, he had a dance and that was it," Mr Brennan told AAP on Tuesday.

Bar manager shares details of backpacker's final night as medium is abused for 'visions'

 

[mussopossum]

New twist in search for Theo Hayez as police zero in on headland next to Byron Bay's iconic lighthouse - as fellow backpacker slams hostel for not raising the alarm for THREE days

"May 31 11pm: The last confirmed sighting of Hayez. He was spotted leaving the Cheeky Monkey bar and appeared to be heading in the direction of the WakeUp! Backpacker hostel where he was staying.

June 1 AM: The last confirmed WhatsApp message was sent from Theo's phone."

And he was suposedly seen running along Shirly street I think was about 1130 by a local who had just arrived home and was getting out of his car. (Unconfirmed)

So where was he and what was he doing between 1130 - 1am? And This was the only time on the tmeline that they did not put the date and time, so I presume I am incorrect and it is just the date "1st" and not 1am.

Could the person who was with him (If any) be the one who sent the message from Whats app on his phone and not Theo?

This is the only article I have read that confirmed that Theo had actually sent a Whats App message at 1am.

Footage opposite the Aloha is totally unconfirmed. At first it seemed to fit with the timing from Cheeky Monkeys back to the hostel and there was some confidence in it. It has later been deemed inconclusive.
There was only a single mention of Theo seen running in a TV interview. The person who made that statement didn't see it but brought it up and said it was unfortunate that he arrived home around that time and saw nothing. The sighting of Theo seen running is unconfirmed.
Theo's girlfriend posted publicly about her wishes that Theo would be found.
As far as questions re WhatsApp, it's known that he opened it but unsure of his use of it - WhatsApp are assisting with the Police.
I've been involved in the search and have had direct contact with a family member. Everything here is what has been released (except for info re his gf).