Information that has recently come to light regarding the investigation into the disappearance of 15-year-old Malén Ortiz in Magalluf in December 2013 includes that of a person who claimed to know where she was.
A Manacor man, who was 52 at the time, called the Guardia Civil command centre in Palma and said that he had "key information" on the Malén case. He indicated to investigators that the girl was "in a well on a golf course" near to where she was last seen. However, he was reluctant to provide greater detail than was necessary until he received a reward that had been publicly offered - 10,000 euros.
A search operation was mounted. This involved Calvia police and two Guardia Civil divisions - the judicial police and GEAS divers. The man clearly had some knowledge of the area; places he had highlighted were real. But there was no trace of Malén.
Officers interviewed him again, this time believing that he had made the whole thing up. He had. He recognised that he had invented the story because he wanted to collect the reward. He told officers: "I'm unemployed and I need money."