Australia Australia - Theo Hayez, 18, Belgian backpacker, Byron Bay, June 2019 #2

[bearbear]

didnt theo only arrive in bb that day, so he would have seen the ocean earlier and maybe after getting kicked out of cm thought hed take a wander down to the beach and message home etc, enjoy some quiet reflective time alone, didnt he love nature and the outdoors, but got very very lost and panicked in the scrub, especially if a little drunk, so the running may have just been panic or fear or maybe he witnessed something and ran, losing his hat, and could that 7 mins pause be a toilet break?
it does seem whatever happened was after he watched youtube

 

[Rocket333]

This makes the best sense of anything I have thought about or heard.

It could be possible that whoever Theo met there was friendly at first "I'll show you the way to the beach", then it all went pear-shaped.

Good point. Why not go up Middleton Street then? Closer, direct, no mid street bush land.

 

[Rocket333]

Ok French yes but from what I gather the convo texts were not at all elaborate, google translator could have been used from another phone or the person could have been French speaking as well. Lots of French speaking tourists in Byron

Given Theo wasn’t fluent in English, if someone told him about the gathering at the end of Tennyson Street, or met him there and encouraged him to go to the Tallows beach (perhaps even saying he could easily walk home from there), they may have been French (or a French speaker). It would have been easy for him to understand the directions or conversation, and would’ve made him feel safer and more comfortable. Theo may have discussed the Burger Quiz show with them, and if they nicked his phone could’ve easily replied to French messages.

 

[feralflower]

didnt theo only arrive in bb that day, so he would have seen the ocean earlier and maybe after getting kicked out of cm thought hed take a wander down to the beach and message home etc, enjoy some quiet reflective time alone, didnt he love nature and the outdoors, but got very very lost and panicked in the scrub, especially if a little drunk, so the running may have just been panic or fear or maybe he witnessed something and ran, losing his hat, and could that 7 mins pause be a toilet break?
it does seem whatever happened was after he watched youtube

It would be hard to get lost, he would have known he is heading toward lighthouse assuming light can be seen from town, also there is suppose to be a sign where he walked past so he would have known he is heading in wrong direction. Theo got kicked out of Cheeky's just after he went to the toilet so unlikely that he had to go. If he wanted to go to Cosy on his own then why the detour to Tennyson? And he did not look at maps to get there, he mapped Wake Up when he existed so more than likely was thinking of heading home, maybe by back route to avoid main street where drunks etc., may hang. He may very well have taken this way believing he was safer off the main street and maybe planned on getting to the beach and walking along there.

 

[feralflower]

Given Theo wasn’t fluent in English, if someone told him about the gathering at the end of Tennyson Street, or met him there and encouraged him to go to the Tallows beach (perhaps even saying he could easily walk home from there), they may have been French (or a French speaker). It would have been easy for him to understand the directions or conversation, and would’ve made him feel safer and more comfortable. Theo may have discussed the Burger Quiz show with them, and if they nicked his phone could’ve easily replied to French messages.

He would have felt closer with a French speaking person, notice he formed a friendship with Antoine who was also French speaking, nothing unusual about that but from all the backpackers he met at the barb q he added him, so possibly if someone French speaking was there at Tennyson Theo would have felt a closeness, trust, more so than walking off or engaging with someone he did not understand well. This could very well fit in with his phone being used by someone who knew French. If he did walk to Tallows with someone then it would be someone he trusted well, trust begins with communication and makes sense that the easiest communication he may have had would be with another French speaking person if his English was limited.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

This makes the best sense of anything I have thought about or heard.

It could be possible that whoever Theo met there was friendly at first "I'll show you the way to the beach", then it all went pear-shaped.

Agree.

Perhaps what the bouncer whispered was to not loiter out front. Which is standard.

But Theo NEEDED to google his way back to hostel, so he turned around the nearest corner to figure out how to get home.

Once on Kingsley, perhaps Theo thought he could cut across YAC to the other side, and walk along the main beach to his hostel.

I’ve been to many small coastal towns where there is an official campground behind beach you can safely walk through during the day or night, to get between hostel, main st and beach.

In fact, if you google map/street view the end of Tennyson, there ARE a group of people cutting across it, looking like they are returning from the beach. In the images, it look safe! It looks like a viable passage.

I have no idea what happened for 7 minutes on the concrete slab behind cricket nets or thereafter

 

[Rocket333]

He would have felt closer with a French speaking person, notice he formed a friendship with Antoine who was also French speaking, nothing unusual about that but from all the backpackers he met at the barb q he added him, so possibly if someone French speaking was there at Tennyson Theo would have felt a closeness, trust, more so than walking off or engaging with someone he did not understand well. This could very well fit in with his phone being used by someone who knew French. If he did walk to Tallows with someone then it would be someone he trusted well, trust begins with communication and makes sense that the easiest communication he may have had would be with another French speaking person if his English was limited.

It would be good to know who spoke French at WU and CMs whilst he was there.

Imagine a French speaker at the WU barby earlier in the night got chatting with Theo, mentioned that he/she weren’t going to CMs that night but instead were going to a party at the oval on Tennyson Street, and for Theo to come along later as it was only two streets from CMs.

 

[mussopossum]

Yeah, others in the area that Theo, and his phone were in, must be identified.

It's mind blowing that no-one has come forward, and that no camera footage or data from communications companies is available.

On a database somewhere may well be a data trail showing another phone, or phones, moving alongside Theo's on the Milne track towards Tallows... does anyone know how to find out if such data exists???

Unfortunately, we do not hear all that is going on in the background and some things may not be published on the LFTH facebook page or in MSM for many reasons. A lot of information would be kept between the family. those assisting the family and police.

It does make it hard for us to try and piece things together.

I believe that you are talking about a tower dump?

That information would need to be requested by the police with telcos but yes it does exist just not to the public. (dang it)

 

[mussopossum]

Ive been listening to the podcast and following this case online and this is my first post in a forum.

I feel that the 7 minutes spent at the end of Tennyson is crucial to the investigation. I don't understand why someone would stop there for 7 minutes, in the middle of the night, on their own accord without using their phone. He must have been interacting with someone there who directed him to the beach, or smoked a cigarette with someone there.

IMO, I don't think Theo ran through the bush in fear/duress. He used his phone on the beach to interact with family and watch a youtube clip (Something I don't believe you would do if you were scared). Whatever went wrong happened after that...

I agree, and if he was afraid most likely and IMO he would run and bang on doors of peoples houses not run into the bush where its isolated.

 

[Deleted member 249471]

Agree.

Perhaps what the bouncer whispered was to not loiter out front. Which is standard.

But Theo NEEDED to google his way back to hostel, so he turned around the nearest corner to figure out how to get home.

Once on Kingsley, perhaps Theo thought he could cut across YAC to the other side, and walk along the main beach to his hostel.

I’ve been to many small coastal towns where there is an official campground behind beach you can safely walk through during the day or night, to get between hostel, main st and beach.

In fact, if you google map/street view the end of Tennyson, there ARE a group of people cutting across it, looking like they are returning from the beach. In the images, it look safe! It looks like a viable passage.

I have no idea what happened for 7 minutes on the concrete slab behind cricket nets or thereafter

 

[mussopossum]

I like the podcast very much. I really like that he has involved people speaking with him. Are there more episodes coming out? He seemed to indicate that it would be weekly, but it wasn't clear for how long.

I think there are around 7 in total

 

[Chiatos]

Why would indigenous peoples of this land, use a weapon from another peoples' culture to protect sacred land? There would be indigenous markings on it. Not symbols from another culture.

If you are referring to the bat: there is no proof yet that it is linked to Theo's disappearance.
And yes, I agree with you that the bat has most probably not been made or used by an Australian indigenous person.

 

[Chiatos]

Good point. Why not go up Middleton Street then? Closer, direct, no mid street bush land.

Yes, one would expect him to turn left into Middleton St.
Instead he proceeds to turn left into Tennyson. Why?

 

[SouthAussie]

Good point. Why not go up Middleton Street then? Closer, direct, no mid street bush land.

Possibly due to Theo's perception of his personal safety at night? Which could be kinda ironic considering the potential outcome.

When I google-walk the area, I notice that Middleton Street has no streetlights and no footpath in its first block - coming from Cheeky Monkeys - as well as overhanging trees which might make a dark street look even darker.



Whereas Tennyson Street is well lit, has footpaths, and (presumably) more passing traffic at night.



Google Maps

 

[Chiatos]

Sometimes I wonder whether Theo didn't run across the sportsfields, but crossed them on a motorbike.
Perhaps in those 7 minutes at the end of Tennyson, he was offered a lift towards Milne track/Tallow Beach.
The podcast said that Theo stopped a few times to resume his fast pace again. Motorcyclists also do that sometimes.
But at the track he would have had to cross the bush on foot.

 

[Rocket333]

Sometimes I wonder whether Theo didn't run across the sportsfields, but crossed them on a motorbike.
Perhaps in those 7 minutes at the end of Tennyson, he was offered a lift towards Milne track/Tallow Beach.
The podcast said that Theo stopped a few times to resume his fast pace again. Motorcyclists also do that sometimes.
But at the track he would have had to cross the bush on foot.

It would’ve showed as a different coloured line. Blue for walking, red for running/hiking.

 

[feralflower]

Does anyone know what the shipping container at end of Tennyson is used for? Is it used?

 

[Rocket333]

Antoine didn’t know why Theo went where he did.
If someone had told Theo about a gathering at Tennyson or the beach, you’d imagine Theo would’ve mentioned it to Antoine as they spent time together, went into town and back to get grog, and travelled to CMs together.

If someone told Theo about something happening it could’ve been whilst at CMs, while he and Antoine weren’t together. Maybe he heard about it and then got chucked out, and there was no time to tell his mates.

Also, Theo caught an Uber in Byron (back to Wake Up or something). So he knew how to do that and could’ve requested a ride home easily enough. If he was planning on walking home he would’ve had to go along Shirley Street and those back streets to Wake Up. I can’t see him doing that walk, being too long alone and too scary. Maybe he was looking for a lift back to the hostel by heading up Tennyson.

 

[SouthAussie]

Does anyone know what the shipping container at end of Tennyson is used for? Is it used?

It looks like there are two shipping containers - side by side.

I would imagine that they are for sporting equipment as those practise nets right next to them are a long way from the rest of the buildings at the recreational grounds.

 

[Chiatos]

It would’ve showed as a different coloured line. Blue for walking, red for running/hiking.

As I have understood it (correct me if I'm wrong): Google does not understand the mode of movement. Google plots the route and calculates speed. Users should edit in order to insert the correct mode.

In Theo's case Google plotted Theo's route every 15 seconds.
Theo walked at 7kms/hr for the first 4min and 40sec before reaching the end of Tennyson. There he stood still for 7 minutes after which he crossed the fields at a speed higher than 7kms/hr.

It's unknown at what speed he crossed the fields. He could have been running at say 10-15km/hr. Or: on a motorcycle at the same low speed of 10-15km/hr.

He probably ran .....