Although soldiers from his regiment testified to his death and the police were inclined to believe them, this theory gained new nourishment over the years, after people repeatedly reported that they had met Gabriel or could confirm that he had exchanged his identity with that of a fallen comrade.
Obwohl Soldaten aus seinem Regiment seinen Tod bezeugten, erhielt diese Theorie im Laufe der Jahre neue Nahrung, nachdem immer wieder Personen berichteten, sie seien Gabriel begegnet oder könnten bestätigen, dass dieser seine Identität mit der eines gefallenen Kameraden vertauscht hatte.