The corpse of the teen found dead at the foot of Dingli Cliffs last July was flown to Germany yesterday and a funeral service will be held tomorrow, his brother, Daniel, confirmed to the Times of Malta.
The corpse was released for burial after DNA results confirmed that it was that of Mike Mansholt, the 17-year-old German.
Meanwhile, investigators have continued searching for Mr Mansholt’s belongings, particularly his backpack which should contain his mobile phone and camera. These could shed more light on his final moments.
Investigators are still searching for Mr Mansholt’s belongings, particularly his backpack
The investigators are baffled as to what could have happened to the backpack the German teenager was carrying when he was last seen at the Sliema hotel where he was staying. They suspect the teenager must either have left it somewhere before he died or that the backpack was stolen either before or after Mr Mansholt died.
They are also looking into the possibility that the backpack fell into a crevice in the cliffs. The family is still hoping the items belonging to Mr Mansholt are found, particularly his mobile phone, camera and the GoPro containing images and videos Mr Mansholt had taken.
Sources close to the investigations said that although the corpse was released for burial, investigations would continue and the police would not consider this case as closed as yet, given the mysterious circumstances surrounding the teen’s death.
He had been reported missing four days earlier after failing to return to Germany after his holiday here.
His girlfriend, Antonia, was with him for the first part of the holiday but had returned home earlier.
Mr Mansholt was found without his running shoes, just a few metres from his rented bicycle. It was also established that the damage to the bicycle was not compatible with a fall from a height. The autopsy concluded that Mr Mansholt had been dead for between seven and eight days.
matthew.xuereb@timesofmalta.com