Call Me Stormy

Revisiting the McCann Case

Renowned investigator Peter Hyatt, who specializes in deception detection and statement analysis primarily for law enforcement, gives a surprisingly straightforward perspective on the bizarre Madeleine McCann case. In 2007, the 3-year-old disappeared from her hotel bed while on vacation with her parents in Portugal and her whereabouts remain unknown.

While the case immediately attracted worldwide attention, so did it bring with it a flurry of conspiracy theories and “who done it” proclamations. Hyatt, appearing on Shaun Attwood’s Crime Podcast, says his independent probe continues to focus squarely on the parents as suspects, disavowing any kidnapping or sex-trafficking theories. He says when a child goes missing, the norm is to follow human nature. “So if a little girl goes missing, there’s an expectation that the parents are going to call out to her and the parents are going to tell us and guide us by their words.”

There was no such response from the McCanns. They never said she was kidnapped or expressed what she was going through, Hyatt says. “All the general expectations of calling out and doing anything they can to facilitate the flow of information, they weren’t doing. Their words confronted me with what they weren’t saying.” Tune in to hear more of Hyatt’s investigative technique and how he draws similarities between the McCann case and that of JonBenet Ramsey.