ABC North Coast will deliver a wrap of the week's news, stories and photos every Friday. Theo Hayezs disappearance is investigated in a new podcast by The Australian, as new video emerges. As per the bars code green policy, he asked Hayez for his identification and he pulled out a Belgian drivers licence from his wallet in his jeans. Looking for Tho Hayez | Byron Bay NSW - Facebook He was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkeys at 11pm when he was asked to leave due to being intoxicated. change_link = true; Missing Theo Hayez wouldnt have walked along Byron Bay bush track alone, cousin tells inquest, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. If you are planning to search in a specific area and wish to know if that area has already been searched, please contact us attheohayezgps@gmail.com. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. September:Theo's father Laurent Hayez arrives back in Australia to continuehis search for his son. display: none !important; 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 poll reveals. Although no DNA results have been released publicly and may not be for some time, the family is certain that it is Tho's hat. Hayez's Oppo smartphone had been pinging data back to Google every 15 minutes - but only through the perseverance of his family was the treasure trove of information eventually released. Australia - Australia - Theo Hayez, 18, Belgian backpacker - Websleuths He was welcomed and hosted by his Godfather, who lives in Melbourne. Despite launching a desperate search for the backpacker, Theo's family have been left without answers over his disappearance. "That can take days, weeks, even months and in fact years, in some cases.". Is the CCTV footage from Caltex/Aloha valid? June 9th:Police conducted a major land, sea and air searchin the Byron Bay area with the assistance of rescue officers, the State Emergency Service, a lifesaver helicopter and lifesavers. } - water & snacks. Mr Pector hosted the then-teenager at his 22-acre property in Victoria's Otways for about a month after he landed in Melbourne in November 2018. These are the people youll hear from, or about, during The Australians new podcast series, The Lighthouse. However, safety comes first. 6 Sep, 2021 05:44 PM 5 mins to read Theo Hayez disappeared in May 2019. Theo Hayez, 18, was reported missing on Thursday by staff at the Byron Bay WakeUp! She said each company had a different policy, but Google had shown thepotential impact of quickly releasing datain missing persons cases. window.dm.AjaxEvent = function(et, d, ssid, ad){ The inquest heard the manner in which Theo was ejected from the nightclub caused his family concern. // Load The anonymous message was shared to thelooking4theo.com website last year. , updated I saw a post that Theo was seen in (insert city here), is this true? How much extra could mortgage repayments be, now the cash rate is 3.85 per cent? Interviews with 12 backpackers could finally solve Theo Hayes mystery While people approaching intoxication were not banned, one more drink would put them over the line and ejecting them prevented stress on the venue. Tho sent a message to a friend at 12.20am on the 1st of June. The most recent updates/facts can be found in the episodes of"The Lighthouse" podcast by David Murray at The Australian (freely available). } change_link = true; 3. Have the hospitals/emergency rooms in Byron Bay and surrounding areas been contacted? "We understand the important work being carried out by law enforcement and are assisting them in accordance with applicable law and our terms of service.". The emergency request was routine practice for Belgian authorities and the data was passed onto NSW Police through the Belgian embassy. Ms Edwards said some social media companies did not have any points of contact for law enforcement authorities, and others like Snapchat and WhatsApp, whichuse encrypted messages were unlikely to provide data, even in serious criminal investigations. } The second week of the coronial inquest into thedisappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez will examine the legislative gaps and barriers in obtaining fast access to crucial data in missing persons cases. - sunscreen & hat We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He wasn't carrying cash with him as far as we know (reported by a friend) and he did not withdraw any large sums leading up to the 31st. She saidtechnology, including mobile phones, were not mentioned at all in the Coroner's Act. Extraordinary discovery after claim missing backpacker Theo Hayez was Per theABC, Shannon Mackie claimed that Theo was approaching intoxication when he was kicked out of Cheeky Monkeys, but upon witnessing the CCTV footage, admitted that he did not appear drunk. May 31st 11pm:The last confirmed sighting of Hayez. But it is still not known where Theo went after his phone signal died, or what happened to him. Theo's godfatherJean-PhilippePector also paid tribute to the missing traveller on his birthday. Theos father Laurent addressed the media this morning. The vanishing of Alan White and Jake Cefolia - True Crime Society They say the only way he would climb the cliffs is if someone was with him, reassuring him it was safe. Then "something happened at 1.02am," said counsel assisting the inquest, Kirsten Edwards. The 18-year-old was in Australia on a. TRUE CRIME: MYSTERIES BEYOND THE VEIL.. THEO HAYEZ, MISSING MAY 2019, BYRON BAY AUSTRALIA. His subsequent decisions would be hard to believe if investigators didn't have Google data obtained by his family. Yes, both volunteers and the police have used various methods including all of the above during the search. var ignore = 'https://imgix.pedestrian.tv'; display: none !important; - long, thick pants and long-sleeved top } Halfway up the east coast in the Australian state of New South Wales, Byron beckons travellers from all parts of the world. September 16th:Police call off the search for Theo and refer his case to the coroner. You are not mistaken! The tennis legend debuts her new baby bump as she and husband Alexis Met Gala 2023 live: Rihanna finally arrives! Data from his phone showed he searched directions back to his hostel near Belongil Beach, but walked in the opposite direction towards Tallow Beach, near the Cape Byron Lighthouse. You are using an out of date browser. Backpacker hostel, when they noticed he had not checked out of his room. The Met Gala's heavenly bodies! ButTheo's family believe he was not aloneand that there must be more to his disappearance. According to the podcast, Hayez spent five and a half minutes in a densely vegetated area above Tallow Beach. Have Google Accounts/GoogleMaps/Facebook/Snapchat/Messaging Apps/Camera/Apps been checked? } )( window, document, 'script', 'dataLayer', 'GTM-W5PMGDG' ); But now, since you're not here and we don't know what happened to you, it's very difficult to celebrate this day.'. Family left surprised by discovery and testing of hairs found on a cap regarded as a significant piece of evidence in disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez. Olivia Wilde suffers red carpet embarrassment after showing up to the Met Gala in the SAME 'If that happens I'm done, I'm stopping!' Back in December 2021, Laurent Hayez, Theo Hayezs father, was reportedly seen storming out of a coronial inquest which heard evidence from the security guards at Cheeky Monkeys, where Theo was last seen. Police have secretly conducted new searches around Cape Byron Lighthouse as part of investigations into the disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez. - sturdy walking shoes, preferably boots (as some of the terrain is very steep and there are snakes around) Lauren Ferri Ifyou believe you have information you can also report to the following: Byron Bay Police: +61 2 6685 9499 'He's been dead for 130 years and can still satisfy the ladies': Social media goes wild over mystery woman Scientists discover what happens seconds before you die - activity in the brain and heart RAMPS UP, Trendy hard floors could be to blame for your foot pain (and there is a simple way to stop it). Theo Hayez search update as Rip Curl watch identified following his According to the family, data from his phone indicates he went towards . Thos phone pinged a tower that encompasses the area from Clarkes Beach to the Lighthouse before 2pm on June 1. According to Seneviratne, Theos phone stops transmitting data at exactly 1:02am, but comes back online between 6.17am and 1.47am with an extremely weak signal. He is not in Byron. You can use thehashtags #findtheohayez and #theohayez. This is not a hoax your son is kidnapped.". "Your Honour might consider that an unstable basis for police to access such critical information.". 'It is hoped that by continuing the awareness and profile of this inquest in Byron Bay, members of the public will continue to come forward with any information they consider to be relevant,' she said. Is it possible he does not want to be found/is trying to overstay his Visa? Theo Hayez: 'Potential breakthrough' in disappearance - Yahoo! "Police can request some information under normal processes," Ms Edwards said. Sign up to stay connected. Other areas besides this have also been extensively searched. More than 18 months later the mystery remains unsolved. Once back on the mainland, Tho met with his cousin Lisa and they both started working in a farm to harvest apples and pears. The working police theory is that he fell into the ocean while trying to climb up towards the Cape Byron lighthouse. Lauren Ferri w[ l ].push( { Speaking to The Lighthouse, another volunteer and Byron Bay resident, Noeline Smith, shared that she joined the search for Hayez as she feared his drink may have been spiked. Mr Pector hosted the then-teenager at his home in the Otways in November 2018, Mr Pector included a series of images with his birthday message, including a picture of him wearing a 'missing persons' t-shirt and 'Theo' built out of Lego (pictured). WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, a system of communication where only the communicating parties can read the message. You can. Please make sure to let other people know that you are planning a search, including the date,time and location. Displaying posters and contacting establishments: A spreadsheet was put together to assist in marking off different Backpackers and Facebook groupsthat have been contacted all over Australia. 'The inquest has to be held in Byron Bay because the location is so significant,' Ms Edwards said. 'They decided to hide the body in dense bushland in Byron I hope this information is useful and no matter the circumstances hope that Theos family is given the closure they deserve,' he said, according to the tipster. Hayez' godfather, Jean-Philippe Pector, received one of the messages on Facebook from someone calling himself 'Mike Larry'. Ms Edwards heturned off his phone's GPS,about midnight, possibly to save battery. Earlier today Theo's father Laurent Hayez said he would like the NSW government to issue a reward for information about his son's disappearance. 'It should be a day full of joy, as it has always been since you were born. "It's an unacceptable situation that we can't get access to what could be critical information about what was happening that night," Ms Edwards said. You can read more about Mackies evidence here. All rights reserved. Homicide detectives join in on the search for Theo. Now, two years on from his disappearance, Hayezs family have released a message in the Looking for Tho HayezFacebook group, thanking the public for their ongoing efforts to help find their son. Extensive land, air and sea searches failed to find a trace of the teenager and the NSW Police referred Theo's case to the Coroner a year ago. 5. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. .podcast-banner.show_mobile { If you have any information on Theo's whereabouts please email Theo's family on theohayezinfo@gmail.com or call +61 474 383 843. Inquest hears 18-year-old seemed like he was losing his co-ordination prior to being ejected from New South Wales bar in 2019 before vanishing. June 16th: Theo's motherVinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she is holding out hope her son is safe and well, but said his disappearance is entirely out of character. }; Moment commuter blasts eco-zealots, Student kicked out of school for 'there are only two genders' t-shirt, Russian freight train derails and bursts into flames after explosion, Royal superfans camping on The Mall ahead of King's Coronation, Women's rights activists and pro-trans campaigners separated, Historic chairs to be reused by the King for the coronation service, Saboteurs wreck Russian train cut power cables 37mi from Ukraine, Cambridge students party in the park during annual celebrations, Moment large saltwater crocodile snatches pet dog off beach in QLD, Devastating tornado picks up car and hurls it through air in Florida, Unseen footage of Meghan Markle during her teenage years, Hundreds of Household Division members rehearse for coronation. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. August:A dedicated group of Byron Bay locals have brought in cadaver dogs to search for missing Belgian tourist Theo Hayez. The police have information of/have spoken with any relevant people (including the security guards). He said OK and was compliant, quiet and showed no signs of aggression. Witness may have seen the body of Tho Hayez two - The Brussels Times He was last sighted leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay at approximately 11:00 pm on 31 May 2019. We encourage volunteers to perform individual search. Such a mystery. According to news.com.au, the club - which had "The Judge" written on it in black letters and dark blood-coloured stains - was handed in to police, however, the club's location was not recordedat the time. But the finer details of their search, such as whether the geo-fencing is limited to particular types of phones, cannot be shared without a legal assistance treaty that the Coroners Court cannot activate. His bank accounts and cards have not been used since leaving the Cheeky Monkey the night of May 31st. 'Credible leads' may yet solve Tho Hayez mystery - 9News Whether Hayez encountered anybody else that night is one of the major mysteries the inquest will explore. Missing backpacker Theo Hayez: Chilling new evidence suggests 18-year The 18-year-old's suspected death was formally reported to a Byron Bay coroner on September 5 last year but Ms O'Sullivan has taken over the case and is directing police to continue investigations. Police believe Hayez was wearing a black hooded jumper with an unknown motif on the front, beige pants, black shoes and a grey Puma hat when he disappeared. June 10th: Locals and other backpackers joined in the search for Theo. A Byron Bay resident feared the missing tourists drink had been spiked | NEW PODCAST EPISODE. (9News) SES and police search for Theo Hayez at The Pass in Byron Bay, in June, 2019. } Ms Edwards said there was a lot of evidence to suggest hewas a competent navigator, and it would have been easy for him to get back to the WakeUp Hostel, where he was staying. Mobile phone data obtained by his family showed that the 18-year-old searched for directions back to his hostel near Belongil Beach, but then travelled in the opposite direction. padding-left: 16px; On November 12, 2019, a volunteer who was involved in the search for Hayez claimed they had been informed the 18-year-old was wearing black Adidas sneakers on the day he disappeared. img#wpstats{display:none} July 3rd:NSW Police announce the full-scale search for the teenager had been called off, but investigations are ongoing. func(); 18-year-old Theo Hayez was finishing a 6-month backpacking holiday across Australia. 23:25 BST 13 Dec 2020 hostel in Byron Bay, leaving his belongings- including his passport- untouched in his room. https://www.theaustralian.com.au/podcasts/the-lighthouse-what-happened-to-theo-hayez/news-story/8a68d51efd1bd28c509c02dc36881fb5. Three and a half months after Hayez vanished, the case was referred to the New South Wales coroner: bringing the official police search to an end. Pregnant singer and baby daddy A$AP Rocky have red carpet to Florence Pugh debuts a SHAVED HEAD at her first Met Gala: Actress creates a buzz with dramatic new look as Baring it all! A few months after Hayez vanished, a cap similar to one he was wearing on the night he was last seen was found in bushland near Tallow Beach. He deserves it !!!!! 'We will never stop looking for our boy and searching for answers,' they said in a statement reported by the ABC. color: yellow!important; VIDEO: CCTV footage shows missing backpacker Theo Hayez's - ABC But his family say the cautious teenager would not have gone alone through a dark and difficult bushland track to reach the beach. But thats what we were being told.". Listen to Mamamia's The Quicky: Tho Hayez, are we any closer to finding him? display: none !important; He was watching the teenager walk from the toilets when he appeared to be losing his coordination and balance, approaching him after observing him for another five minutes. Ms Edwards said the information from Theo's Google account, which was accessed by his family, had been "transformative" in the investigation and provided crucial evidence about hismovements and actions after he left Cheeky Monkey's. Hi there, welcome to your account and your subscriber benefits, An investigation into the disappearance of a young man in Byron Bay. Ms Edwards also said it was critical that Theo's family attend from Europe if possible and that the case had sparked interest in the local community. '&l=' + l : ''; The bars policy was to remove people in the latter category, as NSW liquor laws required there be no intoxicated patrons on the premises. A missing tourist. Sometimes patrons are re-assessed outside, but Hayez had not protested as some sober people did who were allowed back in. // ignored David Murray investigates the disappearance of backpacker Tho Hayez. 'When I left Belgium I promised Hayez's little brother, Lucas, I would bring his brother home, please help me keep my promise to him', Laurent said on his arrival. The comments below have been moderated in advance. Has his cards been used/did he use card or cash/did he withdraw a large amount? Ms Edwards told the hearing better use of technology could 'transform' these types of cases as data can be collected from tech giants within hours. Yes, Tho's Uber account was looked into and Taxi services have been contacted. Online sleuths have been gathering social media photographs of Byron Bay from around the time Theo Hayez disappeared there | LISTEN, EXCLUSIVE: Relatives and friends of Theo Hayez were sent ransom demands | LISTEN. if(typeof window.DotMetricsObj != 'undefined') {DotMetricsObj.onAjaxDataUpdate();} . She said police had a range of powers in criminal investigations that did not extend to missing persons cases. July 12th:Theo's heartbroken father flies home. 'But we will nevertheless continue to celebrate you, remembering all the good, unique moments we shared together. June 1st AM: The last confirmed WhatsApp message was sent from Theo's phone. The guard took him outside where he told him he was approaching intoxication and would not be allowed back in. (Danielle Smith / SMH) Missing phone data may hold key to Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez - ABC We have Tho," the message begins. if(all_links.href.search(/^http/) != -1 && all_links.href.search('www.pedestrian.tv') == -1 && all_links.href.search(/^#/) == -1) { }. No, he was only travelling for 8 months and then he was going home. Data indicates direction of travel from Cheeky Monkey was to Tallow Beach via residential streets and through the Arakwal National Park. He disappeared a week before he was due to fly home to Belgium. He was not looking for work. His father Laurent flew out to Australia to join other family members, police and local volunteers in the search for his son. Byron Bay residents say they were turned away when they offered to help search for missing tourist Theo Hayez. Ms Edwards said there were then messages sent in French by a person 'believed to be Theo', which suggests he was alive and safe. Ms Liddle, a former microbiologist who became homeless, went missing five months after Hayez's disappearance. "It's obviously dark and it's dangerous and Theo's family feel that it is completely inconsistent with the person they know that he would do something like that.". } An abandoned campsite next to Byron Bays Tallow Beach has deepened the mystery surrounding missing backpacker Theo Hayez. The beaches/creeks/etc have been searched by volunteers, police, surf life savers, SES, metal detectors etc. Lily James steals the spotlight in a dramatic leather gown as she flies Met Gala 2023: Kate Moss, 49, slips into a pink lingerie inspired gown as she coordinates with lookalike Met Gala 2023: Brooklyn Beckham looks lovingly at wife Nicola Peltz as she wears a flowing white gown with Bill's in Vogue! Under Investigation: Searching For Theo airs Mon 6 Sep on 9 She said if hehad lost his phone and fallen off trying to find it, it would be possible for his body to be washed away without any evidence. The 18-year-old traveller went missing after being ejected from the Cheeky Monkeys bar at 11pm on 31 May 2019.