Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Main Suspect in Madeline McCann Disappearance Released From Prison | Crime Alert 6AM 09.24.25

Episode Date: September 24, 2025

49-year-old Christian Brueckner [BROOK-ner] has spent the last week a free man, after his release from a seven-year sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2005. Ryan Routh is found guilty of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump and then immediately tries to stab himself in the neck with a pen after the verdict. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime Alert. I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. The primary suspect and three-year-old Maddie McCann's disappearance has been released. Yes, Christian Bruckner, serving a seven-year sentence for an unrelated rape, now walks free. Reportedly, a former German federal police employee paid an outstanding fine for Bruckner, but tried to get the money back after realizing, it would lead to his release. Straight out to Drew Nelson for more. Nancy, 49-year-old Christian Brookner has spent the last week a free man after his release from a seven-year-old sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Priya to lose Portugal in 2005. German police confirmed he left the high-security facility in Zanda

around 9.15 a.m. local time last Wednesday. He must wear an electronic tag, give up his passport, and report to probation staff. His lawyers are expected to appeal the restrictions. Prosecutors say he is still dangerous and could re-offend. A psychiatric report found he refused treatment in custody and remains a risk. He also faces an October court date in Oldenburg, where he's accused in a verbal altercation with a prison employee. Police in Britain, Germany, and Portugal all confirmed Brookner remains a suspect in Madeline McCann's case. He has denied involvement.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell of the Metropolitan Police say they will, continued to pursue any viable lines of inquiry. In June, German and Portuguese police carried out a major search in the Algarva. Investigators dug near derelict farm buildings and pumped out wells hoping to find traces of Madeline or her clothing. CNN Portugal reported the search focused on a route between Brookner's former house and the cliffs at Prya de Luz. The theory was that he may have used the path to dispose of her body. Nothing conclusive was found. Madeline McCann vanished on May 3rd of 2007 during a family holiday in Prya to Luz.

She was three years old. Her parents, Kate and Jerry McCann, had left her and her twin siblings asleep in their apartment while they dined at a nearby restaurant. When Kate returned at 10 p.m., she found her daughter gone. Witnesses recalled her screaming, quote, Madeline's gone. Someone's taken her. Hundreds joined the search that night. Police initially believed Madeline was alive and abducted. Later, suspicion briefly turned on her parents who were both named.

as formal suspects, but were cleared in 2008. Scotland Yard launched its own inquiry in 2011, known as Operation Grange. Over the years, detectives reviewed tens of thousands of documents, collected over 1,000 exhibits, and chased more than 8,000 possible sightings, but no breakthroughs. The case reignited in June of 2020 when German prosecutors identified Brookner as their prime suspect. Phone records placed him in Priya to Luz, the night Madeline vanished. A former acquaintance told police, Brooke.

once remarked she, quote, didn't scream. Prosecutor Hans Christian Vultors later told the BBC, quote, if you knew the evidence we had, you would come to the same conclusion as I do. He says investigators believe Madeline is dead, though nobody has been found. In a June prison interview with RTL, Brookner refused to comment on Madeline's case.

He told the reporter he was looking forward to, quote, a decent stake in a beer after his release. Madeline would be 22 years old today. Her parents mark each anniversary with a message of hope, writing on their website, quote, We love her dearly and miss her beyond words. The investigation into what happened into their daughter remains open. Thanks, Drew.

More crime and justice news after this. Ryan Ruth has found guilty of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump and then immediately tries to stab himself in the neck with a pen after the verdict. A jury in Fort Pierce, Florida, convicted Ruth, age 59, found guilty of attempting to attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and three firearms charges. He now faces a possible life sentence when Judge Aline Cannon rules on December 18th. Jurors reached their verdict in less than three hours. Moments after the decision was read, Ruth lunged at his own neck with a pen. His daughter cried out, quote, oh my God, he's trying to kill

himself. He's trying to kill himself. Someone stop him, please. U.S. Marshals rushed to restrain him and dragged him from the room. He returned minutes later in shackles. was no apparent blood. Ruth had chosen to act as his own lawyer during the two-week trial. His closing argument ran for nearly an hour during which he claimed there was no crime because, quote, the trigger was never pulled, the gun was never fired, and that no one was hurt, so no crime. At another point, he insisted, although, quote, I wanted to kill, my actions within the community and toward my coworkers and family should show my obvious nonviolence and gentleness. He argued the attempt was, quote, never in his heart. But prosecutors said Ruth spent

weeks building a sniper's nest near the sixth green of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm. A secret service agent testified that he saw Ruth aiming his rifle before Mr. Trump came into view. Prosecutor Christopher Brown said, hit a loaded round in the chamber and the safety off. We don't have to prove motive, but you already have it. You only have to decide intent. Evidence included call logs, texts, bank records, and video surveillance. FBI agent Kimberly McGreevy testified that Ruth's phone showed searches for, quote, quote, Trump's upcoming rallies, end quote, Palm Beach traffic cameras. He also looked up, quote, directions to Miami Airport and, quote, flights to Mexico.

On September 15th of last year, just before his arrest, he sent farewell messages to his children, writing to his daughter, quote, love you so much, you are the best daughter. And to his son, quote, quote, you are so awesome dude, love you so much. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the conviction, quote, illustrates the Department of Justice's commitment to punishing those engage in political violence. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the case sent a clear message that, quote, an attempt to assassinate a presidential candidate is an attack on our republic and on the rights of every citizen. President Trump posted on truth social, quote, congratulations to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and the entire

DOJ team on the conviction in Florida of the person who attempted an assassination on my life. This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him. Thanks, Drew. For the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com, and please join us for our daily podcast, crime stories, where we do our best to find missing people, especially children, and help solve unsolved homicides. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace.