Ex-Madeleine McCann investigator to give major update on Jay Slater amid ‘speculation’ over case
AN INVESTIGATOR who once probed the Madeleine McCann case has promised to address Jay Slater speculation in a major update.
Former detective Mark Williams-Thomas joined Jay’s family in Tenerife when the local cops’ search for the missing teen was dragging on.
Jay’s body was tragically found on Monday at the bottom of a treacherous ravine in mountainous Masca.
The discovery came after the young Lancashire lad was last seen on June 17, partying on with two people he met at a music festival on the island.
But speculation has continued to swirl with questions over the case remaining unanswered.
Spanish cops searched a huge area only to find the lifeless 19-year-old in close proximity to where his phone last pinged – nearly a month after the disappearance.
It’s sparked questions, including from heartbroken mum Debbie, about how the body was missed in the initial stages of the search.
Local authorities also refrained from revealing the exact location they spotted the body, leaving family members keen for more answers.
In a post to X, Williams-Thomas on Friday said he would broadcast his thoughts “in due course”.
He said: “Being asked to do a video to address some of the speculation that continues to circle around the very sad case of Jay Slater.
“I will do a video in due course when the time is right.
“But at this stage we are just making sure all the actions of the investigation are fully completed as far as we can, before doing so.”
Jay’s devastated family on Thursday deployed a private search team to figure out the exact location the body was found.
A Dutch search team was sent into the perilous ravine to kick-start their own investigation.
They were seen with a sniffer dog called Flex, who is said to have revealed a specific “difficult and dangerous” spot.
Group leader and veterinarian Esther van Neerbos said: “The place where he was found is a very dry, small valley, very difficult to get into.”
It’s been revealed that he suffered traumatic injuries consistent with a horror from height.
Debbie on Thursday wrote an update on the GoFundMe page originally established to crowd-source funds related to finding her son.
Of the private search crew, she said: “The wonderful team from The Netherlands, Signi Zoekhondon, have remained in Spain all week and have continued to support us since Jay was found.
“They are due to fly home in the coming days and we are so appreciative of their dedication and support.”
The GoFundMe ballooned in donations totalling nearly £70,000, with the family now saying it will be spent on repatriation and funeral costs.
Timeline of Jay Slater disappearance
The grim discovery of a body came after weeks of agony for Jay’s friends and family. Here is how events unfolded:
June 16: Jay and his friends party on the last day of the NRG music festival at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de la Americas, Tenerife.
June 17th:
- 3-6am: Jay leaves with Ayub Qassim and another man for a £40-a-night Airbnb 23 miles away in the village of Masca.
- 7.30am: Jay shares a photo on Snapchat standing at the doorway of the Airbnb.
- 8.50am: He calls pal Lucy Mae Law and says he is “lost in the middle of nowhere” with no water, a cut to his leg and one per cent on his phone.
June 18: Pals search the area but no sign of Jay. Local cops and mountain rescue teams start the official search. Jay’s mother Debbie Duncan flies to Tenerife.
June 19 – 20: Spanish police deploy drones, dogs and a helicopter, but find no trace. Search moves to Los Cristianos amid possible sighting, but it is ruled out and they return to Rural de Teno, near Masca.
June 21: Lancashire Police offer support but it is declined.
June 22: Mum Debbie issues an appeal to Jay saying: “We just need you home.”
June 24: Claims of Jay sighting in Santiago del Teide — near where he disappeared — and family believe a grainy CCTV image could be of him.
June 25: Debbie issues a plea for Jay to come home as more friends fly out and TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas joins the search.
June 29: Cops rule Mr Qassim, and another man at Airbnb, out of investigation.
June 30: Spanish cops officially suspend hunt but say probe “remains open”. His family continue to search.
July 15: A body is found by a helicopter search team close to where his phone last pinged. His possessions are discovered next to human remains. Spanish cops say it points to an “accidental fall”.
July 17: Tenerife authorities confirm the body found in the mountainous area of the island is Jay’s.