A former Met Police officer has urged investigators in Tenerife to look into the days before Jay Slater vanished for possible clues.
The 19-year-old was last heard from in the northwest of the island after staying at an Airbnb in Masca on June 17. He told friend Lucy Law he was planning to walk back to the south of the island - a journey of several hours - before his phone battery went dead. A massive search was launched but it was called off on Sunday after local police found no sign of him.
Graham Wettone, who worked in the Met Police for three decades, said locals in Tenerife should check the days before Jay vanished. He added: “They seem to be focusing primarily on the fact that they were told he wandered off into the mountain, but we are now [three] weeks in, and nothing has been found up there.
“There are so many inconsistencies in what I am seeing and reading. I think the Spanish police need to take a step back and think ‘Why did he go missing where he did and in what circumstances?’
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Ex cop confirms it was Jay using his phone when it ran out of battery
Mark Williams-Thomas has confirmed when Jay’s phone pinged for the last time, it was the teenager using it.
He explained: "We know around 0800 there was a level of communication with the host of the rental property in which she communicated via hand digits to him that the bus would leave at 10am from the bus stop by the apartment. With this, Jay walked off turning left and up the hill.
"Jay had an Apple iPhone. Apple Maps takes you that route if walking back to Los Cristianos, where he was staying. We know then at 8.49am and 8.50am Jay sent his location via both snapchat and WhatsApp to two friends. We can confirm it was Jay using his phone at this stage.”
Ex cop 'unable to validate' stolen Rolex claims
Ex cop Mark Williams-Thomas says he has been unable to validate wild claims made by missing Jay about a £12,000 Rolex.
Speaking in a video statement today posted on social media, he said: “En route Jay posted a Snapchat saying they had taken a £12,000 Rolex from a person. We have been unable to validate this in terms of a reported theft. However, friends of Jay he would not make this up and the watch was the subject of a later conversation between them."
Missing Jay Slater 'was scared' when he left Tenerife Airbnb – and investigator thinks he knows why
A former British police detective working for the family of missing Jay Slater has alleged the teenager was scared when he left the holiday rental where he was last seen.
Mark Williams-Thomas, who has probed a string of high-profile missing persons cases, made the claim about the apprentice bricklayer on Wednesday morning, while giving a public update about his last known movements.
Mr Williams-Thomas, 54, said: "We have received information that would suggest Jay left the rental property feeling scared and that he would not return to the rental, even though that would have been the most sensible course of action, and also where he could have charged his phone and got water."
Read more: Missing Jay Slater 'was scared' when he left Tenerife Airbnb – and investigator thinks he knows why
Spanish police in forensic gear seen at Jay's Airbnb
Spanish police in Tenerife wearing forensic gear were seen at the holiday cottage where Jay had been staying.
The plain clothes cops wore blue slip-ons as they looked around Casa Abuela Tina in Masca, which is available for £40 a night on Airbnb.
'It's a mystery'
Jay’s parents spent more than two hours speaking to Spanish police on Tuesday.
Afterwards, Debbie revealed: “It’s a mystery and he’s still missing."
'Lines of inquiry are open', says Tenerife mayor
A mayor in Tenerife says police on the island are continuing “several lines of inquiry”.
The search was halted around several sites by police on Sunday night.
Mayor Emilio Navarro said “inquiries are open”. He added: “It's not that the search has stopped. Maybe, yes, in the territory, the field search, but other lines are open.”
'Time for Jay's friends to take a polygraph test'
Donators to Jay’s fundraiser have called for friends of the teenager to take a polygraph test as the mystery of his whereabouts continues.
More than 4,000 people have so far donated to the fund.
One, who gave £5, said last night: “I think it’s time Lucy Mae Law and Brad come forward and do a polygraph test, this is a must and a vital step in the investigation. Too many things just don't add up, looking at the body language of both Lucy and Brad it's very clear something is not right here.”
Jay Slater's mother makes urgent plea for son
Last night Jay’s distraught family spoke out about Jay’s disappearance as they said they “just want to find him”.
Jay's mother addressed the public, updating them on the ongoing investigation and calling for the press and public to allow Spanish law enforcement to conduct their work without interference.
The family’s statement read: "We are a very close family and are absolutely devastated about his disappearance. Words cannot describe the pain and agony we are experiencing. He is our beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him and we just want to find him."
Ex-Met Police cop says disappearance of Brit in Tenerife doesn't 'add up'
A former Met Police officer has urged investigators in Tenerife to look into the days before Jay Slater vanished for possible clues.
Graham Wettone, who worked in the Met Police for three decades, said locals in Tenerife should check the days before Jay vanished. He added: “They seem to be focusing primarily on the fact that they were told he wandered off into the mountain, but we are now [three] weeks in, and nothing has been found up there.
“I would even go back further to the days leading up to his disappearance, have they checked his bank accounts for anything untoward in the hours before he went missing?"
Read more:Ex-Met Police cop says disappearance of Brit in Tenerife doesn't 'add up'
Jay Slater mystery deepens as Spanish locals point to feature that was 'supposed to make it safer'
Navigating through the dense desert vegetation, along narrow dusty paths, dodging cacti barbs and signs warning of falling rocks that tumble from sheer cliff faces, is a task only for experts. The harsh and unforgiving landscape of the area where Jay Slater went missing can easily turn dangerous with one wrong move.
Locals in the Masca area of Tenerife have said that a major safety measure was implemented last year- a sweeping road. According to the residents, it was constructed to make the area safer and easier for people to access.
A Tenerife local said: "This whole road was built only around a year ago. It was built to make the area safer, to make it easier for people to get in and out of."
Tragic development in Jay Slater case 15 days on since Brit teenager reported missing in Tenerife
Missing Jay Slater's mum has issued a heartbreaking statement with a tragic developmentafter an agonising 15 days of worrying about the whereabouts of her teenage son.
Just over two weeks ago Debbie Duncan's life was turned upside down when her 19-year-old son Jay was reported missing. He was last heard from in the northwest of Tenerife after staying at an Airbnb in Masca on June 17. He told a friend Lucy Law that he was planning to walk back to the south of the island before his phone battery went dead.
Jay's friends and family travelled to the island as the search took place. A GoFundMe page set up by Jay’s friend Lucy Law for his family has so far raised more than £47,000, and Debbie said the money raised online would be used to support mountain rescue teams, as well as covering accommodation and food costs.
Spanish police worked tirelessly to conduct a major search operation in the hunt for Jay but the search was called off last Sunday with no signs of the teenager from Lancashire.
Just 48 hours after officers called off the search Jay's parents Warren Slater, 58, and Debbie Duncan, 55, were seen leaving the Guardia Civil police station in Tenerife's Las Americas district on Tuesday afternoon after spending several hours liaising with police.
A tragic update
On Tuesday, July 2, 15 days after Jay was reported missing, Debbie provided a tragic update. She confirmed the family still "donot have any information on his whereabouts" but praised the efforts of the police in Spain and said that their investigation is still ongoing into what has happened.
In her first public comment since the search ended, Debbie expressed her sheer devastation, saying: "Words cannot describe the pain and agony we are experiencing. He is our beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him and we just want to find him."
Missing Jay Slater's mum issues brutal response to 'vile' conspiracy theories
The mother of missing Jay Slater has issued a brutal response to "vile" conspiracy theories about her son online.
His mum Debbie Duncan said she found online speculation about her son 'extremely distressing' to her and her family. She added that the negative comments on social media sites and other websites have been difficult to stomach.
She said in a new statement this evening: "We are aware of the conspiracy theories and speculation on social media and some websites, and can only describe this as vile, the negative comments are extremely distressing to our family."
Missing Jay Slater's mum reveals exact focus of Spanish police investigation
Jay Slater’s mum has given an update on where a Spanish police investigation into his disappearance is now focusing.
The search to find the 19-year-old from Lancashire was called off last Sunday, nearly two weeks after his disappearance in the northwest of Tenerife. He was last heard from after staying the night at an Airbnb in Masca on June 17.
His mum Debbie Duncan has now given her first public comment since the search ended. She has praised the efforts of Spanish police and also said that while the land operation had come to an end, they were looking at why Jay had travelled to Masca after going to a nightclub in the south of Tenerife.
"We do not have any information on his whereabouts. The Guardia Civil have worked tirelessly up in the mountains where Jay's last phone call was traced," she said.
"They conducted a land search for 12 days which involved every resource they had available. Although the land search ended, the Spanish police still continued with their investigations into why Jay had travelled to the location so far away from his accommodation.
"We offer our sincere thanks to the Spanish authorities who continue to follow lines of enquiries. We would like to say to the press/news/reporters, that although we do not want to lose the momentum of Jay's disappearance, we really would like to maintain our privacy and crucially let the Spanish police get on with their investigations without hindrance from the press."
What's happened this afternoon? Key events in the Jay Slater disappearance
The afternoon has not brought any significant shifts in the Jay Slater missing persons case, with police still unable to locate the 19-year-old as investigations continue.
But the general public still remains transfixed by his disappearance, with messages of support shared with the missing teen's family, and donations given to their official fundraiser. Jay's mum has also issued a new statement thanking those who have aided the search and condemning conspiracy theorists in one fell swoop.
Key moments include:
- Forensic police emerging from the Airbnb where Jay stayed before he went missing
- The fundraiser for Jay's family passing £45,000, and £47,000 soon after
- The emotional new statement from Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan
- News that the family has been targeted by "vile" messages and ransom demands
Jay Slater's mum offers 'sincere thanks' to police who searched with 'every resource'
Jay Slater's mum has thanked Spanish police for utilising "every resource" in their search for her son in her emotional new statement.
Debbie Duncan said Tenerife officials have kept the case open, and offered her family's "sincere thanks" as they "continue to follow lines of enquiries". Ms Duncan said: “They conducted a land search for 12 days which involved every resource they had available.
“Although the land search ended, the Spanish police still continue with their investigations into why Jay had travelled to the location so far away from his accommodation. We offer our sincere thanks to the Spanish authorities who continue to follow lines of inquiries.”
Mum's statement in full
peaking via the missing persons charity LBT Global, the mum said the search - which concluded over the weekend - was not able to achieve any major results. As investigations continue, she added she "just wants to find" her "beautiful boy" who has "his whole life ahead of him".
She said: "My son, Jay Dean Slater, came to the holiday island of Tenerife on the 13th of June with his friend to attend a music festival. On the 17th of June after not returning to his apartment he was reported as a missing person. Jay is a normal guy who is in his 3rd year of an apprenticeship, and he is a very popular young man with a large circle of friends.
"We are a very close family and are absolutely devastated about his disappearance. Words cannot describe the pain and agony we are experiencing. He is our beautiful boy with his whole life ahead of him and we just want to find him.
"We do not have any information on his whereabouts. The Guardia Civil have worked tirelessly up in the mountains where Jay's last phone call was traced. They conducted a land search for 12 days which involved every resource they had available.
"Although the land search ended, the Spanish police still continue with their investigations into why Jay had travelled to the location so far away from his accommodation.
"We offer our sincere thanks to the Spanish authorities who continue to follow lines of enquiries. We would like to say to the press/news/reporters, that although we do not want to lose the momentum of Jay's disappearance, we really would like to maintain our privacy and crucially let the Spanish police get on with their investigations without hindrance from press.
"We are aware of the conspiracy theories and speculation on social media and some websites, and can only describe this as vile, the negative comments are extremely distressing to our family.
"We also embrace the love and support we have received from across the globe. It has not gone unnoticed, especially his home town in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. As a family we would like the world to respect our privacy at this present time.”
Bar apologises for Facebook post mocking Jay Slater
A bar slammed for a "sickening" social media post about missing teen Jay Slater has apologised and fired its marketing firm.
Owners of the Bees Knees Accrington bar said a controversial image posted online came from marketing firm Affordable Social, and described it as "completely unacceptable". They said they have since fired the business, and made a donation to the GoFundMe set up for Mr Slater's family.
The bar said in a statement: "As a business we are utterly gobsmacked that this has happened and how somebody could find good humour in a missing boy. I can’t stress enough nobody within the pub company has posted this status, some of whom are receiving threatening messages which is completely unacceptable."
Affordable Social said it was "deeply distressed" about the post and had removed it within minutes, and that the employee responsible "no longer works" for the company.
Lancashire Police 'remains open' to assisting in Jay Slater case
Lancashire Police has said it is still willing to assist in the search for Jay Slater after extending an offer not long after his disappearance in late June.
The service acknowledged that, while the case was outside UK jurisdiction, officers had been in contact with Guardia Civil regarding the case. A spokesperson for the service told Sky News the position "hasn't changed" in July, despite search efforts having concluded on the Spanish side.
On June 21, the service said: "Whilst this case falls outside the jurisdiction of UK policing, we have made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil to see if they need any additional resources. They have confirmed that at this time they are satisfied that they have the resources they need, but that offer remains open and they will contact us should that position change."
Why did Tenerife officials call off the search for Jay Slater?
Spanish police in Tenerife dropped Jay Slater over the weekend following what was supposed to be a "massive" operation involving hundreds of volunteers.
Roughly 30 people turned up to assist officials, who had asked for veteran search and rescue volunteers, in combing the island's rough-hewn countryside during the "búsqueda masiva" - massive search. The operation has since been termed a last push to find the teen, and the overall effort is now over.
Police have not explicitly said why the search was terminated two weeks after the teen's disappearance. But they have kept the case open, and investigations are ongoing.
Brit TikToker claims search efforts 'PR stunt' in scathing post
The Brit TikToker who flew out to Tenerife to help search for Jay Slater blasted the official effort a "PR stunt" in a video posted on the social media platform.
Paul Arnott, who now plans to raise enough money to fly Scottish mountain teams out to the Spanish island, said in a scathing post that the search was a "massive PR thing". In a now widely shared video on his "downtherapids" account, he addressed Spanish police saying the search was "ridiculous".
He said: "So, guys, I've literally been waiting for absolutely ages now. This is a massive PR thing, I'm telling you now. I'm gonna ask him in a second to take my name off the list. I'm just gonna go down there and do my thing. I'm gonna do that now, I think. Because there's people everywhere. Literally people everywhere and nobody's doing anything."
He added: "[addressing Spanish police] Hey, hey, guys, for the list, this thing, just cross out take my name off. Yeah, because I'm going here now. It's too busy. I wanna go search. I'm gonna search over here cause it's ridiculous. So, yeah, guys, I can't deal with this. This is absolutely mad. I've been up here for ages."
Ex-Met officer urges Spanish police to 'take a step back' on Jay Slater case
A policing expert has urged Spanish investigators working on the Jay Slater case to "take a step back" and look at other aspects of his disappearance.
Graham Wettone, who worked for the service for 30 years, said investigators should think about the "circumstances" in which Jay went missing. He added that they should look further back into the days before he vanished, adding that investigators are laser-focused on one aspect of the case.
He told the Daily Mail: "They seem to be focusing primarily on the fact that they were told he wandered off into the mountain, but we are now [three] weeks in, and nothing has been found up there. I would even go back further to the days leading up to his disappearance, have they checked his bank accounts for anything untoward in the hours before he went missing.
"Were there any patterns forming that would point to him going wandering off but the fact he is said to have done that just doesn’t square with me. Was there anything sinister and untoward there, that would have made him go off with these two men, is there anything in his past that needs looking at more fully."
TikToker issues new update on Jay Slater search
A Tiktoker who has involved himself in the search for missing Jay has released a new update on his own effort this evening.
Paul Arnott, 29, joined the search for the teen just days following his disappearance, and has since attempted to join efforts launched by Spanish officials. He has kept his audience on the social media platform updated, with a recent video seeing the self-titled explorer pledging to stay until the teen is found.
He added that he is chasing up "a few things" while he remains in Tenerife, including a GPS and pair of sunglasses. He said: "I'm gonna stay here until we find Jay. I'm gonna do my best, I really am. Moving forward a lot of new things have come out due to interviews.
"There are quite a few things I'm gonna chase up today as well. One is a three-word GPS. The other, apart from that, is a pair of sunglasses that were found by a man called Chris, who I'll be meeting up with later today."
Jay Slater's mum issues seven-word plea after meeting Spanish police
Debbie Duncan has issued a seven-word plea after meeting with Spanish cops in charge of the operation looking to locate her missing son.
Ms Duncan, 55, spoke to officers inside the Guardia Civil police station in Las Americas, Tenerife, earlier today, and issued a statement after emerging from the building. She spoke alongside Jay's dad, Warren, with a seven-word plea for members of the public.
She said it is a "mystery" her son is "still missing", but that the family was leaving the case in the hands of investigative officers. The mum said: "We don't know anything about the investigation. We're leaving it to the police."
She added: “Let's keep it going, keep it alive. Let them (the police) get on with it, we’ve got to trust in these people.”
How does Debbie Duncan plan to use the GoFundMe donations?
As the total sum of donations given to the Jay Slater GoFundMe account nears £50,000, people may wonder what the missing teen's family plans to use them for.
In a statement posted to the fundraising page on June 27, Jay's mum Debbie Duncan thanked people for their support, and said she was working with the platform to withdraw some of the funds. She said she planned to "withdraw part of the funds, which are being safely held".
She added that the money would be used to support the teams mounting the search for her missing son. She added: "I wanted to share that these funds will be used to support the mountain rescue teams who are tirelessly searching for Jay. Additionally, since our stay in Tenerife needs to be extended, we will also use the funds to cover accommodation and food expenses. I'm surrounded by wonderful people who are by my side, but far from their loved ones, so we'll also be using part of these funds to fly them to Tenerife so we can support each other during these dark times."
Jay Slater fundraiser approaches £50,000
The fundraising page set up for Jay Slater's family has nearly taken in £50,000 as of this afternoon.
The fundraiser, set up on Go Fund Me for the missing teen's family, passed the £45,000 mark early this morning, and donations have continued to pour in. Over the last few hours, the pave has received another more than £2,500, and appears to still be gathering steam.
Major donations, including one £1,000 sum from Bees Knees Accrington, have brought the fundraiser to £47,670. Hundreds of further contributions from concerned Britons and others have meant that the total will likely only continue to increase, with no end date attached to the campaign as of yet.
Jay's heartbroken mum urges world to 'keep watching' as family calls for search to continue
Jay Slater's heartbroken mum has urged the world to keep its eyes fixed on the teen's disappearance.
The 19-year-old's family has called on Spanish officials to keep the search alive after they called off efforts following what was meant to be a significant weekend operation. In a new message issued earlier today, Debbie Duncan said it is "important to keep the world watching".
She added the family is "trying to remain positive" but that she is terrified the search could "lose momentum" as Guardia Civil keeps the case open. The mum told viewers of Good Morning Britain today that "a lot of conspiracy theories" are going around and diluting publicity of the investigation.
Amateur TikTok sleuth 'interested' in setting up on Jay Slater fund
An amateur TikTok sleuth who landed in Tenerife hoping to aid Spanish police in the search for the missing teen has said he is interested in setting up his own fundraiser.
Brit Paul Arnott, 29, has become well-known for covering the search on the social media site, and tried to join searchers when they launched a major effort over the weekend. He has made a host of posts with clickbait headlines in yellow, one of which tempted viewers with "body found" in capital letters.
During a recent interview with the Daily Mail, the TikToker said he would like to set up a fundraiser to pay for a Scottish team to aid in the search. He told the publication: "What I would be interested in doing is setting up my own fund to pay for a team from Scotland mountain rescue to come out here."
He added: "The police say they have searched everywhere but I'm not happy with that. If they had searched everywhere they would have found him, but they haven't and I'm convinced he is on that mountain."
Jay's dad suggests reason behind low number involved in major search
Jay Slater's dad, Warren Slater, has suggested there may be a reason behind the lower number of people who turned out to help Spanish police during a significant search attempt over the weekend.
Authorities had hoped for hundreds to be involved, but "around 30" turned up, with Mr Slater suggesting TikTok trolls had influenced the total. He expressed concerns in an interview with the Mail, stating his disappointment that only one British man was involved.
He said: "It's a bit disappointing that there are no British apart from Paul [Arnott], but I suppose to them he's just a British lad who's come out here and got drunk." The dad added: "I'm grateful to those who have come out here because you can see just how dangerous it is and what gets me is the trollers who are having a go at us for not searching. It's not the local park, these are big mountains, the terrain is dangerous, put yourself in our position would you go out in these conditions?"
Jay Slater's family targeted by fake ransom demands and 'vile threats'
Jay Slater's family has been targeted by fake ransom demands and "vile threats" a detective assisting the missing teen's mum, dad and brother has said. Posting on X, TV sleuth Mark Williams-Thomas, who assisted the family in the early days of the investigation, condemned "fake content" that has arisen following his disappearance.
He wrote: "So much fake content has been created in the Jay Slater case - mocked up chat , messages , pics. It’s a very different world we live in today with social media and online detectives . Overwhelming response from people has been very positive. People just wanting to help, even though most have no direct info, just what they have read, seen or think.
"Also a number of people making vile threats and ransom demands (all checked out and have no credibility). Being a family and friend at the centre of a massive story like this which has attracted worldwide media/ public attention brings with it many more new challenges."
Last week, at a press conference, Mark suggested there are "two scenarios", stating: "He has either come to harm by his own accident, up in the hills somewhere, but not directly by the rental. Or, there is a third party involvement. I cannot rule that out at the moment."
Read more here: Jay Slater's family targeted by fake ransom demands and 'vile threats'
Jay Slater search latest - elite crime unit, house forensics and next steps
Spanish police have ended their search for Jay Slater in the mountains, but that's not the end of the investigation.
The Guardia Civil called off the hunt over the weekend, however the case still remains open. Jay, from Lancashire, was on his first holiday abroad with friends in Tenerife and attended a three-day rave before he disappeared on June 17.
The apprentice bricklayer was last seen in the village of Masca after visiting an Airbnb with two older British men he had met on the island. He reportedly wanted to leave, however after missing the bus back to his accommodation in the south of the island, he is believed to have started the 11-hour trek.
Read more here Jay Slater search latest - elite crime unit, house forensics and next steps