the newest evidence sheds light on the last moments of the missing backpacker theo hayez and 'proves' he wasn't alone that fateful night in byron bay

New evidence has emerged in the baffling disappearance of backpacker Theo Hayez, indicating the 18-year-old met with a mystery person the night he went missing.

The young Belgian traveller, who'd been making his way across Australia on a gap year, was last seen after being kicked out of the Byron Bay nightclub Cheeky Monkeys on May 31, 2019 at about 11pm.

Google Maps data pulled from Theo's phone revealed that instead of returning to his hostel in the centre of town he headed towards Tallow Beach and the Cape Byron lighthouse.

Police have always held the working theory that Theo fell from the jagged cliff face and was swept away by the sea, with one of the largest missing person's investigations in Australian history finding nothing but his baseball cap.

But private investigators working with his family, along with an army of internet sleuths, believe something more sinister happened to the talented science and mathematics student, pointing to a 'WiFi handshake' with another mobile device as proof he was not alone.

Many local residents have also warned there has long been a dark side to the laid-back hippie community known mostly for its idyllic scenery and celebrity residents.

Theo Hayez (pictured, left, with his then-girlfriend) went missing in Byron Bay in 2019 during a backpacking trip

A massive land, sea and air search uncovered no clues as to the 18-year-old's whereabouts (pictured, searchers at Byron Bay lighthouse back in 2019)

Digital phone footprints uncovered by his mother Vinciane Delforge, who logged onto his GPS data by guessing his password, discovered exactly where Theo went that night.

But the revealing find appears to raise more questions than answers.

One of the first things Theo did after leaving the nightclub was search for the route back to the Wake Up! hostel where he was staying.

However, instead of following the directions, he walked in the opposite direction until eventually coming to a dimly-lit park and staying there for seven minutes.

It's by the cricket nets at the Byron Bay Recreational Grounds where Ken Gamble, a private investigator working with the family, believes Theo met someone.

'The only reason he would stay for close to seven minutes is because he would have been talking to someone,' he told Channel Nine's Investigations program.

New evidence has emerged in the baffling disappearance of backpacker Theo Hayez, indicating the 18-year-old met with someone the night he went missing (pictured, Channel Nine's Investigations program which aired on Monday night)

Private investigators working with the family, along with an army of internet sleuths, believe the talented science and mathematics student was murdered, pointing to a 'WiFi handshake' with another mobile device as proof he was not alone (stock image)

Theo's godfather Jean-Philippe Pector explained: 'It's not a really inviting place.'

'To the contrary, it looks a bit dark. It's not frightening but you wouldn't feel really relaxed in an area like that so he may have been guided there,' he said.

From there Theo takes an inexplicable path through a narrow track in hidden bushland to the beach.

Byron Bay resident Many Nolan said it's a route only a local would know, suggesting he may have been led along the path.

'I live right around the corner from the street that takes that track and I never would have walked there at night or rarely at all,' she said.

It's so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face in that bushland.

Mr Hayez, 18, was last seen on CCTV leaving a nightclub at 11pm on May 31, 2019 in the hipster New South Wales beachside hideaway town of Byron Bay and was never heard from again

Digital phone footprints uncovered by Theo's mother Vinciane Delforge (pictured together) who logged onto his GPS data by guessing his password, discovered exactly where Theo went that night

Google Maps data pulled from Theo's phone revealed that instead of returning to his hostel in the centre of town he headed towards Tallow Beach and the Cape Byron lighthouse (shown in map above)

'It was an unusual and scary thing to do on one of the coldest nights in Bryon of that year.'

Mr Gamble said there is an obvious reason why he would have taken that path.

'It's not a track that anybody would take because it's not an obvious route,' he said.

'One reason why he would have taken that path is because someone knew a shortcut to the beach.

'You'd have to know it's there in order to end up in that place.'

The only piece of evidence extensive land, air and sea searches were able to locate indicating Theo's movements was his grey Puma hat which was discovered near the track.

The young Belgian traveller was making his way across Australia on a gap year when he went missing

The most chilling piece of digital evidence comes just before 1pm when Theo's phone makes a 'WiFi handshake' with another mobile device.

'This is supercritical in the whole investigation,' Nigel Phair, a former AFP cyber security expert said.

'He is either still with a someone, or someones else.'

Mr Phair says investigators could scour the geo-locations of all phones in the area to find out who the device belonged to.

It remains unclear if detectives have already taken this step.

Theo's godfather Jean-Philippe Pector also paid tribute to the missing traveller on his birthday

Pictured: Theo Hayez's family pay tribute to the backpacker on his 20th birthday last September

Theo's phone activity stops just after 1am but remains on for a further 12 hours, with geolocation data indicating it moved overland around the cliff top.

'Whatever happened to him at 1am separated him from the phone,' Mr Gamble said.

'During this time there is evidence that his phone was moved. If his phone was moved, he is not the one who moved it.'

An inquest into Theo's mysterious disappearance is currently being prepared by the NSW State coroner.