In a stunning new development in the Madeleine McCann case, investigators have confirmed that a strand of hair recovered from an abandoned delivery truck less than two miles from Praia da Luz has produced a partial DNA match to the missing British girl.
Forensic scientists in Lisbon confirmed the results late Tuesday, calling
the discovery “unexpected and potentially case-altering.”
But what shocked investigators even
more was the registered owner of the vehicle — a man who, until now, had never been publicly linked to the
case.
According to sources close to the investigation, the truck was registered under a false business identity connected to a British national previously questioned in 2008, who later relocated to southern Spain.
Police believe the truck may have been abandoned shortly after Madeleine’s disappearance and only recently came to light during a separate investigation into illegal transport routes.
Inside the vehicle, forensic teams also recovered a faded children’s sock, several scraps of fabric, and a plastic card belonging to a long-defunct tourist company once operating near the Ocean Club resort — the same area where Madeleine was last seen.
“The DNA match is not conclusive yet,” a Portuguese official told reporters under condition of anonymity. “But the link between the truck’s ownership and individuals known to the McCann family is under active review. It raises serious new questions.”
British authorities are now assisting with further genetic analysis at a secure lab in Birmingham to confirm whether the sample could belong to Madeleine or a relative.
The McCann family, informed of the new discovery, is said to
be “hopeful but emotionally shattered.”
A family friend stated:
“After all these years, this could be the clue that finally unravels everything — but they’re terrified of false hope.”
The investigation has now shifted focus toward cross-border movements between Portugal and Spain in the months following the disappearance. Detectives have re-opened a list of previously dismissed suspects, including one individual with connections to both the McCanns’ resort and the logistics firm that owned the truck.
Officials described this as “a turning point,” saying that new international warrants may soon be issued.