It was a volunteer who found the only piece of hard physical evidence, Theo's favourite cap, in bushland near Tallow Beach. Theo Hayez disappeared on May 31 st of 2019. The Byron Bay community banded together and organised search efforts. It is excellent and covers far more ground than I have. There was nothing out of the ordinary in town that night, besides it being so cold! The pioneering heart operation that only takes an hour and doesn't leave a scar is performed on first Briton. He said if Theo tried to walk up the "deceptively easy" grassy side of the cliff from Cosy Corner, he may not have realised the other side was steep and unstable shale. Theo was a responsible and cautious young man. For those gathered, the vigil offered a moment to reflect on Tho's story, his heartbroken loved ones overseas, and the ongoing search for answers. There was some blurry CCTV footage of a nearby petrol station that seemed to support this, and it just made sense. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a black hooded jumper, beige pants and black shoes. Counsel Assisting the Coroner told the court "the use of Grindr has also been suggested but we know Theo did not have that app or any like app on his phone.". The 18-year-old vanished after leaving the Cheeky Monkeys nightclub about 11pm on May 31, 2019, and CCTV captured him walking in the opposite direction to his hostel located west of the Byron Bay CBD. [9], The case soon became well known in Australia and Europe and interest continues more than two years later. Theo,18, disappeared after being kicked out of the Cheeky Monkeys bar in Byron Bay, northern NSW, and was last seen by his friends at about 11pm on May 31, 2019. He was reported last seen leaving a bar called Cheeky Monkeys. Mother of missing backpacker Theo Hayez breaks her silence Cheeky Monkeys bar is the middle of the map. Image: AAP. More recently, it was purchased by a reputable company that runs multiples bars and pubs across Australia and it is slowly losing its reputation of being that bar where my friends drink got spiked or that bar where my mate got bashed by the security guards. 'He was a regular and competent user of Google Maps. The 18-year-old was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar on Johnson Street in the popular beach town on May 31, 2019. Scientists discover what happens seconds after you die - activity in the brain and heart RAMPS UP. There are two known cases in 1989 and 2014 of people who disappeared, their bodies never recovered, in the sea at Cosy Corner. Feature image: Facebook/@Looking.for.Theo. Read more. Majority of British public think Charles should not apologise for slavery, new poll shows, Even most republicans see no benefit in abolishing the monarchy, new polls reveals, LORD ASHCROFT: The monarchy has to change, but the King has time and goodwill on his side. SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: What really happened to missing backpacker Theo At the urging of locals and police, coroner Teresa OSullivan walked the Milne Track one night last year. The last reliable data point places the phone at Cosy Corner on Tallow Beach, at the base of the Cape Byron cliffs. Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez dropped into Byron Bay in late May 2019, enticed by the town's unique allure of bohemian life, beautiful surf beaches and a sprinkling of international celebrity glamour. Then her family intervened, A year ago, this Australian couple fled Ukraine with their three cats. The search came with a lot of pressure from the get go, given time was running out to find Hayez alive. Sen Const Papworth and the search teams were instead forced to rely on paper maps and pens. Despite an extensive search that garnered national attention, his body was never found. The development came just hours after Theo's parents suggested 'another person' was involved in their son's disappearance and police offered a $500,000 reward for information. Few other details about evidence have been made public. Or he had met 'with one or more persons' between the cricket nets area at Byron and Cosy Corner beach 'and those persons caused his death and disposed of his body'. Whether Hayez encountered anybody else that night is one of the major mysteries the inquest will explore. He turned off the track into steep, dense bushland and ended up on the beach. True Crime Society - Missing | Madeline Kingsbury We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 'Theo is unhappy when I'm feeling sad. 'I don't want to overstate it, your honour, but we know Theo was engaged in some WhatsApp activity just before 1am on the 31st of May,' counsel assisting the coroner, Kirsten Edwards said. Up to this point, there was nothing particularly notable about Theo Hayez or his two days in Byron. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. The NSW government has announced a $500,000 reward for information about the disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez. region two years ago. Detective Senior Constable Parker told the inquestthe bush track Theo used may have appeared on Google Maps as a more suitable route than it actually was. 'The major difficulty with the accident theory is Theo's character. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Britain's rock solid support for the Royal Family: With Charles' Coronation just four days way, a major poll reveals there is little appetite for republicanism but reform IS needed, High-ranking Met Police officer on 100,000-a-year who was found to be a regular user of 'high-class' prostitutes was allowed to keep his job after he was let off with a minor rebuke, Police hunt for Brixton killer after woman in her 30s is stabbed to death in broad daylight near O2 Academy, ROYAL CHANNEL LIVE: The monarch's unexpected defender from Down Under, Beatrice and Eugenie in the party mood and fears of heavy rain on May 6 - latest updates. Three days later, the alarm was sounded and Theo was reported missing. Were working to restore it. Theo Hayez's motherVinciane (above) said she has accepted she 'will never know' what happened to her son, The last movements of Theo Hayez have been tracked from mobile phone data, but the backpacker's fate is still unknown, Police believe Theo fell down the face of a cliff after getting lost and trying to climb it to get back to the street (pictured, SES searching for Theo in 2019). However, the information Whatsapp could provide was limited due to encryption. A spokesperson for NSW Police said that a comprehensive review of the findings is under way and all recommendations that are directed to police will be considered. While some podcasts are privately produced, many are created by investigative journalists within media outlets such as The Daily Telegraph, The Australian, ABC, or SBS. Theo HAD to be with someone that night. However, he ultimately decided he wanted to go visit various friends and family around Australia and by all accounts, thoroughly enjoyed his trip. Police officially closed their investigation in September 2019, and the case was referred to the NSW Coroner. OSullivan said there was no clear evidence that Hayez had been drunk, none at all that he was on drugs, and neither did he appear to be lost. With dozens of beautiful beaches, great surf, and spiritual activities, it is easy to get sucked into Byrons laid-back vibe and lose touch with the outside world. He was 18 years old at the time. But just after 1am his phone stopped receiving data. hostel, with him stopping at a cricket ground and fire trail before he entered the bushland near Tallow Beach and the Byron Bay Lighthouse. His mother, concerned she had not made contact with her son in close to a week, contacted Theo's Victorian-based godparents. Both were launched within hours of when the subject was last seen and both people were located quickly. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. In February, the NSW government announced a $500,000 reward for significant information regarding the backpackers disappearance. She said the theory also presumes Hayez, a tourist unfamiliar with the area, had walked alone from the town along an unlit track and through dense bushland to get to the beach in the first place. Next, he took a dark track through bushland towards the ocean, at points appearing to walk quickly or run. The Disappearance of Theo Hayez Byron Bay is one of the ultimate tourist destinations in Australia, with almost 2 million visitors descending upon this tiny town every year. The Strange and Tragic Mystery of Missing Theo Hayez - Medium US tech billionaire's son Matt Baszucki found the low-carb/high fat diet finally made the difference to his bipolar disorder - after being prescribed 29 drugs over five years. This page is not available in other languages. I think that we will never know (what happened to Theo) but I hope our situation, our story, is helpful to others, she told 60 Minutes. @nbnnews @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com . The message to his stepsister was sent a bit before 1AM with him being active on Whatsapp at 1AM, then going offline. Theo Hayez disappeared in May 2019. Tho's parents also flew to Australia to join the search, and they remained for several weeks. Day one of the Coronial Investigation into the disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez. But its not abnormal that he would be with someone. The hostel is at the top left corner of the map (20 minute walk). It goes from Milne Street through bushland out to Tallows Beach. It is also a puzzle that has left his family lost in a sea of sadness and uncertainty. Theo Hayez: 'Potential breakthrough' in disappearance - Yahoo! [6], As the case slowed down, the official police theory became that Hayez fell from the cliffs near the lighthouse as a misadventure. The inquest continues. 'Importantly, none of the other young backpackers observed him to be drunk. We know that he sent a Whatsapp message to his stepsister about 1AM. An inquest is examining the disappearance of 18-year-old Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez. The streets he walked down were dark. resigns from Google and says he regets Pictured: British grandfather and 'friend to everybody' who died while snorkelling during dream cruise Baby in India is born with a third ARM growing from its back in rare phenomenon. Missing backpacker Theo Hayez's mother has spoken publicly for the first time Theo was last seen on May 31, 2019, at the Cheeky Monkeys bar in Byron Bay His body was never recovered with his. The family submit it would be completely inconsistent with Theos character to attempt something so reckless, particularly alone.. Its totally normal to meet up with new people, adventure a bit. More volunteers would have been sent to those areas and he would have sent detectives to interview 'vagrants' who were staying near the sporting field. On 60 Minutes last weekend, Theo's devastated mother, Vinciane, opened up on the toll his disappearance has had on her and their family, saying: 'I think that we will never know but I hope our situation, our story, is helpful to others. We know that he used Google Maps multiple times to search for the route back to his backpacker hostel. Nor had he made contact with family or friends, which was extremely out of character. This theory was addressed early on in the inquest. Theo is unhappy when Im feeling sad. Tho Hayez packed a lot into his post-school trip to Australia. His family, who have travelled to Byron Bay from Europe for the two-week inquest in the NSW coroners court, dont accept their cautious boy would do something so dangerous in the dark. However she said there had been no reported attacks in the area, 'and 'no-one saw anyone at the cricket nets' and a 'random murder of a backpacker in Byron Bay' would be extraordinary. There has been much criticism of their handling of this, but it tends to be quite distracting from the case. In July, a grey Puma hat, similar to the one Hayez was wearing when he was last seen, was found in bushland at Tallow Beach by community search volunteers who had responded to the familys plight in the months afterwards. Controversial NHS Tavistock transgender clinic is threatened with court action by watchdog after failing to 'If I didn't build it, somebody else would've': The Godfather of A.I. Theo Hayez, an 18-year-old Belgian national, had spent months in Australia and was just days away from flying home. Theos mums tears after heartbreaking admission. There is no official answer, though the Hayez family told media that NSW Police presented them with the theory that Tho was involved in a fatal accident. They always turn back up, though. The Lighthouse, an investigative podcast produced by The Australian in late 2019, reported that Hayez family received several ransom demands in the weeks after Tho's disappearance. Theo Hayez, an 18-year-old Belgian national, had spent months in Australia and was just days away from flying home. Theo didnt return to the hostel. The Lighthouse: Searching for Theo Hayez | The Australian After going through the inquest process, we knew there wouldnt be any breakthrough, he said. Investigator are a step closer to solving the mystery of missing backpacker Theo Hayez, as they hone in on WhatsApp messages he exchanged the night he vanished. She also dismissed reports that Theo's phone engaged in some sort of "digital handshake" during his trek to Tallow Beach. 'Nazi gold' turns out to be a WW2 bullet and a pair of muddy boots: Hunt for lost loot hidden in Dutch 'I'm no deadbeat dad!' He disappeared a week before he was due to fly home to Belgium. A former homicide detective believes the 2019 disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez in Byron Bay should be treated as "suspicious," in lieu of the . The family of missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez has identified an accessory the teen may have been wearing at the time of his disappearance. But there remained a major difficulty with the accident theory, OSullivan said: reconciling it with evidence of Theos character, and the reality of what it meant for him to trek through the bush onto the beach before attempting to climb over the headland in the middle of the night.