A PROPERTY owned by a relative of missing Gabriel's mother's stalker has been searched in the latest development in the search for the eight-year-old who vanished on February 27 whilst walking to a neighbour's house.
Diego M. F. A. was arrested just after the little boy disappeared for tampering with his electronic tag, meaning the one worn by Gabriel's mother, Patricia Ramírez, did not 'bleep' to warn her he was nearby.
He has an injunction preventing him from approaching her, but has broken this several times.
Patricia initially ruled out any connection between the stalker and her son's having gone missing, although police have just revealed they are searching a plot of land owned by one of his relatives.
Diego has never had a relationship with Patricia, who is amicably separated from Gabriel's father Ángel Cruz, but the accused has been obsessed with her and stalked her for over two years.
Gabriel was walking from his grandmother's house in Las Hortichuelas, near Níjar (Almería), where he spent weekends and holidays, to the home of a neighbour, to play with his friends.
The rural area is said to be 'very safe' and 'always full of unaccompanied children', and Gabriel knew his way around.
A vest recognised by his father was found near the Las Negras sewage plant in Las Hortichuelas and DNA tests have proven it did in fact belong to Gabriel.
But a search in the plant area did not produce any clues.
Guardia Civil officers, complete with divers, sniffer dogs, drones, helicopters and police horses, have been searching a 12-kilometre radius of the area where Gabriel vanished.
Gabriel's parents say they have not given up hope of finding their son alive, and have offered a €10,000 reward for any information leading to his being found.
