Current Theo Hayez - Murdered Missing Byron Bay Surrounds

Police are now stating they hold grave concerns for missing backpacker 18 year old Theo Hayez who was last captured on CCTV leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay on May 31st at around 11.00pm.

While there might not be anything yet to suggest he's been a victim of crime, many articles are linking Crimestoppers in for reporting. I think they would have found him given the massive search effort if he'd been bitten by a snake or had some kind of accident. His family must be frantic.

The search for a Belgian teenager missing in Byron Bay has shifted toward a beach on the edge of the popular NSW tourist town.

Friends are worried "something stopped" 18-year-old Theo Hayez after he was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar about 11pm on Friday, May 31.

The young traveller appeared to be headed toward his accommodation at the Wake Up! hostel north of town where his passport and belongings were later found untouched.


Friend Michael Dorkhom says Theo has been identified in more CCTV footage from Byron Bay's main street in the minutes after he left the bar.

Mr Hayez's final known activity is believed to be when he sent a message to another friend in Belgium after midnight.

"It seems like he was still happy where he was at that time, so he might've met someone on the way to the backpackers or decided to go and lay on the beach for a bit, we don't know," Mr Dorkhom wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.

"Something must've stopped him on the way to the backpackers since he would've reached (it) around 11.30pm on the Friday if he just had kept walking."

Mr Hayez hasn't used his mobile phone or made any financial transactions since the evening he disappeared, prompting "grave concerns" for his welfare, a NSW Police spokeswoman told AAP on Tuesday.

Mobile phone records helped investigators narrow the search area east of the Byron Bay CBD, and in and around bushland to the northeast, earlier this week.

But on Tuesday the search shifted to Belongil Beach, which is across the road from the backpackers' accommodation.

A GoFundMe page launched on Monday collected more than $12,000 in 12 hours to help fund search efforts.

"A few days before his disappearance Theo told us he could not wait to come back to Belgium," the fundraiser page states.

"I travelled with Theo from Alice Springs to Darwin, I hope with all my heart that you will find him," one donor wrote.

Mr Hayez planned to spend eight months in Australia with Byron Bay the final leg of his journey, according to the fundraiser page.

He was supposed to travel to Melbourne before returning home to Belgium this week.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/fears-grow-for-backpacker-missing-in-nsw
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #2
Drones are out over the water today. He was wearing a hoody, long pants and shoes so presume he didn't go swimming and drown or his gear would have been found sooner, unless someone stole it from the beach.

Below right pic is last CCTV capture.

theo.jpg
 

Silent Alarm

sack Lyon
10k Posts
Jul 9, 2010
24,163
26,535
AFL Club
Fremantle
Yeah just watching his dad on the ABC then. Pretty heartbreaking. Looks a normal, stoic, middle-class guy and him breaking down was hard to watch.

It seems he was pretty close to his hostel – a 15 minute walk – and he didn't seem to be that drunk. It's a shame he didn't make friends at the hostel. I've been in these situations and I think it's why Chris Brahney/Grace Millane/these cases get me interested and invested. I know how fun it is to meet new people, to go out, that buzz of flying over a brand new country and seeing the trees and paths beneath you fly. It coming just after uni or just before it adds to that robbed feeling.

I don't know why they're only trying to access the Whatsapp now. His phone was in a new location at 12.20am I think. I'd most likely say it was thrown out of a car or something but still. Shouldn't this be done as soon as possible?

It's just sad. Poor young bloke. Happy, bright looking man. Always sad.
 

Iworkthecircus

All Australian
Jan 6, 2018
691
585
AFL Club
GWS
Yeah just watching his dad on the ABC then. Pretty heartbreaking. Looks a normal, stoic, middle-class guy and him breaking down was hard to watch.

It seems he was pretty close to his hostel – a 15 minute walk – and he didn't seem to be that drunk. It's a shame he didn't make friends at the hostel. I've been in these situations and I think it's why Chris Brahney/Grace Millane/these cases get me interested and invested. I know how fun it is to meet new people, to go out, that buzz of flying over a brand new country and seeing the trees and paths beneath you fly. It coming just after uni or just before it adds to that robbed feeling.

I don't know why they're only trying to access the Whatsapp now. His phone was in a new location at 12.20am I think. I'd most likely say it was thrown out of a car or something but still. Shouldn't this be done as soon as possible?

It's just sad. Poor young bloke. Happy, bright looking man. Always sad.

The police only really move on children abductions or a rape murder of a women seem to drag the ball and chain on some , recently there was a bloke murdered by six people and abducted from his home took 6 months to break that one down
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #7
Poor family, it was heartbreaking watching the dad speak to the media today.

What's the situation with Whatsapp? the cops are trying to access his latest messages.

His dad did well to get through the script, not sure I could have kept it together for as long as he did if it was my son. It was really hard to watch.

I'd have thought they'd be into his Whatsapp by now. It's hard to keep track of young travellers who can meet people and decide on a whim to take off for a few days and no alarms are raised but it's a shame he wasn't reported as missing for six days.
 

Silent Alarm

sack Lyon
10k Posts
Jul 9, 2010
24,163
26,535
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other guy checked out or is unknown?

Would be pretty insane if a backpacker killed another one. Especially since Theo was walking home alone. It’s not like they were together, pissed, and they’ve gotten into an argument.

Then again... maybe it’s simply the best photo they have?

I used to work in a bottle shop that was a similar size and layout by the looks. There can be lots of blind spots and most cameras only get people from angles and side on or else top down.

That, or they want to possibly see if anyone saw them at the club or hostel. Someone could potentially say they saw an argument or the other guy had a reputation.

Doubt it tho. Seems two lads just getting on the piss.

On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #14
Other guy checked out or is unknown?

Would be pretty insane if a backpacker killed another one. Especially since Theo was walking home alone. It’s not like they were together, pissed, and they’ve gotten into an argument.

Then again... maybe it’s simply the best photo they have?

I used to work in a bottle shop that was a similar size and layout by the looks. There can be lots of blind spots and most cameras only get people from angles and side on or else top down.

That, or they want to possibly see if anyone saw them at the club or hostel. Someone could potentially say they saw an argument or the other guy had a reputation.

Doubt it tho. Seems two lads just getting on the piss.

On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

If they knew who the other person was and he's been checked out, imo his face probably should have been blurred. A lot of pressure just went on him with this CCTV, could be by design.
 

craigos

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 2, 2014
16,668
32,003
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Liverpool
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/austr...kpacker-theo-hayez-still-missing-in-australia

Byron Bay was the penultimate stop on Theo's eight-month backpacking holiday around Australia.
The 18-year-old Belgian had thought carefully about his decision to travel before commencing his university studies in science and mathematics. He'd planned his gap year well in advance, organising each moment of his time ahead, booking transport and accommodation.
"He is ... a conscientious, organised, responsible and attentive boy," his mother, Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium last week.
Photos of the teenager show a broad smile and a young man happy to be on adventures. When he arrived in Byron last month, Theo was looking forward to heading home soon to start uni.



So close to returning home after so long away. That's rough.
 

craigos

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 2, 2014
16,668
32,003
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Liverpool
If he'd fallen into the water you'd think a body would have shown up. If he'd gone for a late night swim, you'd think his clothes at the very least would have been found.
 
  • Thread starter
  • Moderator
  • #22
If he'd fallen into the water you'd think a body would have shown up. If he'd gone for a late night swim, you'd think his clothes at the very least would have been found.

Searchers are looking around the Cape Byron Lighthouse where his phone last pinged but its a fifty minute walk from the Cheeky Monkey. Looks like a good high place to throw a phone over, a body going over might be harder there's meshed in safety rails right around from what I can see.
 

Caj

Premiership Player
Jul 23, 2004
3,036
2,346
Fitzroy
AFL Club
Sydney
Other Teams
Liverpool
Searchers are looking around the Cape Byron Lighthouse where his phone last pinged but its a fifty minute walk from the Cheeky Monkey. Looks like a good high place to throw a phone over, a body going over might be harder there's meshed in safety rails right around from what I can see.


Wouldn't be hard to throw a body over the fence there, although you'd need a car to get it up there in the first place

Not sure if the body would disappear though, heaps of rocky outcrops sticking out from the cliff for it to get stuck on, also would imagine a body would simply be washed up against the rocks and found??
 
Back