The German prosecutor leading the Madeleine McCann case is confident they have found new evidence against the prime suspect in her disappearance.
Hans Christian Wolters said in a television interview marking the 15th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance he was adamant Christian Brueckner was responsible for her death.
"We have found new facts and new evidence," Wolterstold the Portuguese channel CMTV.
"It's not forensic evidence but evidence and because of our evidence, we are sure he is the murderer of Madeleine McCann. We are sure he killed Madeleine."
Brueckner, a convicted rapist, was named as an official suspect in the case in April.
He was first revealed as the prime suspect in the case back in June 2020, more than 13 years after the three-year-old went missing from an apartment in Praia da Luz.
There is speculation that investigators found fibres in Brueckner's van from the pyjamas Madeleine was wearing when she disappeared.
When asked whether the speculation was true, Wolters, who has been investigating the case since 2020, replied "I don't want to deny it".
There currently is a lot of effort going into the investigation because Portugal has a 15-year statute of limitation.
Portugal law prevents prosecutions after 15-years and legal experts say the time limit means putting anyone behind bars would be "greatly reduced".
Police would have had to convict a suspect by May 3, the 15th anniversary of when Madeleine disappeared from the Portugal seaside town of Praia da Luz.
Journalist Robbyn Swan, who wrote a book on the case in 2015, told AM Madeleine's parents told her they have acknowledged there is very slim hope Madeleine is alive, but need closure.
"They need to know what happened to their daughter," Swan said.
She said Bruckner, who is in jail for the violent rape of an elderly woman, was wearing a mask and costumer during the assault.
At the time of Madeleine's disappearance, police were focusing on a case where a man had committed a series of entries into homes of people holidaying in the area, including an incident following a child.
Swan said during her research for her book one of the little girls involved in that case said the man was also wearing a mask and a strange costume.
"That's not evidence, but it's interesting circumstantially."
Bruckner has continued to deny any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance.
