Mystery surrounds missing Belgian backpacker, 22, in Sydney

May 31st 7.45pm: Theo Hayez and an unnamed friend were caught on CCTV camera at a local bottle shop in Byron Bay.

May 31st 11pm: The last confirmed sighting of Hayez. He was spotted leaving the Cheeky Monkey bar and appeared to be heading in the direction of the WakeUp! Backpacker hostel where he was staying.

June 1st AM: The last confirmed WhatsApp message was sent from Theo’s phone.

June 1st 1:42pm: Theo’s phone pinged for the last time.

June 6th: Theo was reported missing to local police .

June 9th: Police conducted a major land, sea and air search in the Byron Bay area with the assistance of rescue officers, the State Emergency Service, a lifesaver helicopter and lifesavers.

June 10th: Locals and other backpackers joined in the search for Theo.

June 10th-June 16th: SES crews, the dog squad, lifeguards, local volunteers and police are continuing to search the Byron Bay headlands, east and north of the town, as well as beaches and swamps. 

June 16th: Theo’s mother Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she is holding out hope her son is safe and well, but said his disappearance is entirely out of character.

June 17th: Theo’s father Laurent Hayez travels to Byron Bay to help search for his son Theo. He makes an emotional plea asking Australia to keep looking for his son and vows to stay in the country until he is found.

He says he hopes WhatsApp will cooperate with police to decode the messages that Theo last sent – a feat, he says, which could change the course of the search. 

Police confess they are still ‘baffled’ by the case, and are keeping all lines of inquiry open.

Homicide detectives join in on the search for Theo.

July 3rd:  NSW Police announce the full-scale search for the teenager had been called off, but investigations are ongoing.

July 12th: Theo’s heartbroken father flies home. 

July 17th: Top forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro says believes Theo could have been the victim of an unknown serial killer, along with two 20-year-old backpackers who went missing on the NSW north coast months prior.

July 18th: Theo’s parents reveal they believe he is still alive and are holding out hope he is in a commune. 

August: A dedicated group of Byron Bay locals have brought in cadaver dogs to search for missing Belgian tourist Theo Hayez.

The dogs and their handlers scoured bushland in the Arakwal National Park including Tallow Beach.

September: Theo’s father Laurent Hayez arrives back in Australia to continue his search for his son.

September 16th: Police call off the search for Theo and refer his case to the coroner.

October 13th: Theo’s family confirm a cap found in dense bushland near to where the missing backpacker’s phone last ‘pinged’ belonged to him. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk