On the morning of 17 June 2024, 19-year-old Jay Dean Slater,[2] an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, disappeared on the island of Tenerife, Spain, after attempting to walk ten hours back to his accommodation as a result of missing a bus.[3] Slater had attended a music festival in Playa De Las Américas with two friends the day before his disappearance.

Jay Slater
Publicity photo of Slater
Born
Jay Dean Slater

2004 or 2005
Diedc. (aged 19)
Juan López ravine, Buenavista del Norte, Tenerife
Cause of deathTraumatic head injuries
Body discovered15 July 2024 (2024-07-15)
Burial placeAccrington, Lancashire, England[1]
Education
OccupationApprentice bricklayer

Extensive searches headed by the Guardia Civil and aided by volunteers found no body. Less than two weeks after his disappearance, on 30 June, Tenerife police stated that they were discontinuing the search for Slater, although the investigation remained open, for which they were later criticised.[4][5] In fact the search continued under a court order of secrecy, to avoid "curious onlookers" due to the high level of interest in the case,[6][7] and on 15 July 2024, the Spanish police reported the discovery of a body in the vicinity of the area of interest, later confirmed by the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands[6] to be that of Jay Slater.[8][9] It was suspected he suffered an accident or fall.[10] A post-mortem examination concluded Slater died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height.[11]

The disappearance and subsequent death of Slater drew substantial media interest.[12] As with the death of Nicola Bulley, a number of conspiracy theories were posted on social media where speculation was rife regarding his disappearance, particularly on TikTok and Facebook.[13] Members of the public who travelled to the area during the search were criticised for being armchair detectives, while social media users were strongly criticised for engaging in trolling.[14]

Background

edit

Jay Slater was born to Debbie Duncan and Warren Slater; he had an older brother, Zak.[15] Warren had been estranged from Duncan as of Slater's disappearance.[16] Slater was educated at West End Primary School and Rhyddings High School in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, before attending Accrington and Rossendale College, where he was studying as an apprentice bricklayer.[17]

At the time of his disappearance, Slater was described as a 19-year-old young man, weighing 70 kg, with a height of 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in), slim build, black hair and blue eyes.[18] He was described by family and friends as a "beautiful boy" and "one of a kind", who was "always the happiest and most smiley person in the room".[19] Others described Slater as a "normal, hardworking young lad from Lancashire" who was loved by all who knew him and had a "zest for life".[20] Slater's family highlighted his passion for football from the age of six, playing for Huncoat United FC until the age of 17.[21] He enjoyed spending time with his friends, attending music festivals and events, socialising and meeting new people.[22]

Disappearance

edit
 
 
Slater's apartment, Los Cristianos
 
NRG Festival, Papagayo Beach Club
 
Casa Abuela Tina en Masca
 
08:15 last mobile phone GPS data
 
Body
found
Tenerife locations; Los Cristianos, Playa de Las Americas, Masca, Parque Rural de Teno, Juan López ravine[23]

Slater attended the three-day NRG Music Festival at Papagayo Beach Club in south Tenerife on the afternoon of 16 June 2024. After the festival, Slater went to the mountain village of Masca with two men he met at the festival, Ayub Qassim and an unnamed man, both of whom police have deemed to be unconnected to the disappearance.[24]

On 17 June, at around 08:00 WEST, Ofelia Medina Hernandez – the last known person to meet with Slater – told him that his bus was due at 10:00. Hernandez recalled driving past Slater as he "walked fast" in the "wrong direction". Hernandez owned the cafe/villa Casa Abuela Tina in Masca.

Fifty minutes later, at 08:50, Slater called his friend Lucy Mae Law to tell her that he was "lost", as he had missed the bus to get south and was attempting to walk from Masca to where he was staying in Los Cristianos on the south coast of Tenerife, a distance of 45 kilometres (28 mi) or 10 to 11 hours on foot.[4] Slater said that his phone had 1% battery, he needed water and that he had "cut his leg" on a cactus, before the call cut out. His last known location was the Rural de Teno National Park. Slater had earlier posted an image on his Snapchat account showing him at the doorway of a property, tagged with the location of the park.[25] He also made a video call to his friend Brad Hargreaves who thought he slipped on gravel.[26] At 09:04, Slater was reported missing.[3]

edit
 
Looking west to Casa Abuela Tina en Masca (top) where Slater was last seen alive

After the report of Slater's disappearance, an extensive search headed by the Guardia Civil commenced, involving drones, sniffer dogs and helicopters.[27] The Asociación SOS Desaparecidos classed Slater as "highly vulnerable".[28]

On 19 June, the search was temporarily moved to the Los Cristianos area due to a potential lead, but this was disregarded and the search returned north to his last known location at the Rural de Teno National Park.[29] Local Guardia Civil and rescuers also searched a 2,000-foot-deep ravine in the Teno Nature Reserve.[30]

The search for Slater was initially focused on two British men he had made friends with in Tenerife three days before his disappearance.[31] Slater left Playa de las Américas in a car with the men, who drove him 22 miles (35 km) north to an Airbnb in Masca.[32] However, police later confirmed that they were "not relevant" to the search after being questioned briefly by Spanish police and flew back to the UK.[33] On 24 June, a blurry closed-circuit television image taken in Santiago del Teide was shared by Slater's family, who they believed was him around ten hours after he was reported missing.[34]

The next day, police officers looking for Slater stumbled across a Scottish hiker in a ravine. The 51-year-old was reported missing on 21 June after failing to return from a hike near where Slater was last seen. Officers stated that he would not have managed to get out of the ravine "by his own means" due to the "difficulty and lack of communication" in the area,[35] but the hiker stated that he was experienced and did not need rescuing.[36]

 
Looking east to Casa Abuela Tina (top left)

Comprehensive searches, involving specialist dogs drafted in from Madrid, found no trace of Slater.[37] On 29 June, the Guardia Civil stepped up their search, urging volunteer associations to take part. Despite the efforts of between 30 and 40 volunteers and rescue workers in the Masca and surrounding areas, nothing of interest was found.[38] The next day, on 30 June, the search for Slater was discontinued by the Guardia Civil.[39][40] They later revealed it had carried out "discreet" searches to deter "curious onlookers".[41]

The local police declined to state whether it was actively investigating if Slater's disappearance was linked to a parallel investigation.[42] On 2 July, they stated there was no indication Slater had been the victim of a crime.[43] On 14 July, a specialist team of six volunteers and four dogs based in the Netherlands were deployed to the island, mounting a new search for Slater and said "there is more we can do".[44]

Recovery of body

edit
 
Mountainous terrain around Masca

On 15 July, the Spanish police reported the discovery of human remains in the vicinity of the area of interest, close to the last known location of Slater's mobile phone.[8] This was Juan López ravine, some 10km from the coast.[45][46] The body was found with Slater's possessions and clothes.[47] Tenerife newspaper El Día reported that a helicopter from the regional government's emergency rescue service was used to help recover the remains due to the inaccessible terrain.[48]

The next day, a preliminary autopsy by the Guardia Civil and the Canary Islands Higher Court of Justice confirmed the body found in the area was that of Slater through fingerprint comparison and identification.[49] The autopsy proposed that he died as a result of injuries from an accidental fall or a "plunge from height due to the broken bones he suffered".[50]

His body remained in Spain before being repatriated to the UK. The coroner ordered a post-mortem examination to be held in the UK, which concluded Slater died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height.[11] The report also highlighted that his death would have been instantaneous.[51]

Responses

edit

The disappearance of Slater sparked national and international attention,[52][53][54] which dominated the global media.[55][56][57][12] The attention of Slater's disappearance has been compared to that of Madeleine McCann in 2007.[58][59]

On 18 June, Slater's mother, Debbie Duncan, and his brother, Zak, flew to Tenerife.[16] Duncan said she believed Slater had been "taken against his will".[60] Slater's father, Warren, stated he was experiencing "a living hell" and that "somebody must know something".[61] Former Met Police officer, Mark Williams-Thomas, who helped in the search for Nicola Bulley, had reached out to Duncan offering his assistance.[62]

On 22 June, the NRG (New Rave Generation) Music Festival, which Slater attended before his disappearance, released a statement describing the situation as "devastating".[63]

Slater's disappearance led to some press reporting of the disappearance of Kevin Ainley twenty years previously. Ainley was from Lancashire, living in Yorkshire and had relocated to south Tenerife a few months before his disappearance in June 2004 which was not widely reported at the time.[64] Another comparable case was that of Steven Cook who went missing in Crete but was found dead with an inquest recording an open verdict.[65] On 20 July, the sustained interest in Slater was contrasted with the Disappearance of Damien Nettles and Jack O'Sullivan.[66]

Tenerife newspaper El Día reported that according to missing persons organisation SOS Desaparecidos, Slater was one of 82 missing people in the Canary Islands, dating back to 1981, with 50 on Tenerife alone, including 22 foreigners.[67] Figures from Spain's Interior Ministry revealed that Slater was one of 27 unsolved missing persons cases from 2008 onwards.[52]

During the search, newspaper articles surfaced that reported on a serious attack on a 17-year-old in 2021 by a gang of eight people including Slater, using machetes, an axe and a golf club, in which they split the victim's skull. Slater had been sentenced in August 2023 to an 18-month community order with 25 days of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work.[68]

Then-Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, stated that the British government were doing all they could to support the search for Slater.[69] Following the confirmed death, the local Member of Parliament, Sarah Smith, said that she was assisting the family in getting government support.[70]

A documentary produced by ITN, The Jay Slater Mystery: Missing or Murdered?, was set to air on Channel 5 in July, but was later removed from its schedules after Slater's body was found.[71][72]

Social media

edit

A GoFundMe page entitled 'Get Jay Slater Home' was launched to help raise funds for his family.[73] Following the start of the fundraiser, GoFundMe published a statement, with a spokesperson saying "all campaigns are under review and no money will be transferred unless we can verify it goes straight to his family".[74] This came after widespread online speculation about the intention of how the money would be used. Facebook group administrator Rachel Louise Harg said the funds raised would go to Slater's friends and family staying in Tenerife.[75] At least seven fake GoFundMe pages were set up in Slater's name, which were later deleted.[76]

On 22 June, the family and friends of Slater feared his Instagram account had been hacked after it was accessed multiple times since his disappearance.[77] Slater's mother, Debbie, was later subjected to a series of messages on social media and received "sickening" prank calls from unknown numbers claiming they had taken Slater and were holding him for ransom.[78] She later described being "terrorised" by the internet trolls,[79] stating the abuse had not stopped even after Slater's funeral and denied rumours he had stolen a £12,000 Rolex watch before his disappearance.[80]

As with the death of Nicola Bulley, a number of conspiracy theories were posted on social media regarding Slater's disappearance,[81][82] often based on unconfirmed rumours and false screenshots of messages online from people connected to the case.[14] On Facebook, a number of groups were set up discussing theories about his whereabouts.[83][84] On TikTok, over 30 million videos were made under the tag "Jay Slater Opinions", many of which were speculation that Slater was tricking everyone for money.[85] TikTok users had also arrived in Tenerife to help with the search and post updates to their followers.[86][87] Slater's uncle feared third-party involvement.[88] Some social media users who engaged in trolling were strongly criticised.[89][13] Ginger Gorman, author of Troll Hunting and global cyberhate expert, said it gives trolls targeting Slater's family a feeling of power and was depressing but not surprising in respect of Slater. Another author of a book on social media, Dr. Sara Polak, said it is 'apophenia' and fits in with the cultural trope that 19-year-old boys are not to be trusted.[13] Amazon was criticised for allowing various conspiracy theory books to be made available on its website and on Kindle, that detailed on Slater's disappearance.[90]

Labour MPs Sarah Smith and Chris Webb called on UK prime minister Keir Starmer to put tougher sanctions in place to deter online trolls before they get started.[91] Sarah Manavis in the magazine New Statesman cited the case as an example of how "if our true-crime culture is not contained now, we will be forever desensitised to stories of personal tragedy", in reference to the conspiracy theories, accusations and mockery that were made about Jay Slater on social media before and after he was found dead.[85]

Matt Searle, CEO of missing persons charity LBT Global, criticised social media users for speculating about Slater, describing them as "armchair detectives" and "so-called experts", as well as urging them to stop. Speaking to BBC News, Searle stated he intended to raise the matter with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.[92] Ahead of Slater's funeral, Searle stated a number of "heartless" scammers running social media accounts had offered access to a fake live stream of the funeral service in exchange for likes, follows and money.[93][94]

Criticism of police

edit

On 21 June, Lancashire Constabulary published a statement regarding Slater's disappearance. It said they had "specialist officers" who were continuing to support Slater's family, and had offered support to the Guardia Civil who rejected it, however, the offer remained open and they would be in contact should their position change.[95] Slater's mother, Debbie, renewed calls for British police to help with the search, adding there had been a "problem with the language barrier".[96]

The Spanish police faced criticism for calling off the search for Slater on 30 June, less than two weeks after his disappearance.[5] Mayor of Santiago del Teide, Emilio Navarro, defended the decision and said police were continuing to investigate several lines of inquiry.[97] Navarro was later criticised for claiming that several witnesses had seen Slater watching a Euro 2024 football match in Tenerife hours after he was last heard from, resulting in local police to investigate the potential sightings, which was later dismissed.[98][99]

The police were later criticised for its handling of the investigation, with claims that many of the "basics have been overlooked" by the search teams.[100] Former police detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who investigated the disappearance of Nicola Bulley, also criticised the local police for their approach to the investigation and for rejecting help from Lancashire Police in the search for Slater.[101]

Tributes and funeral

edit

After Slater's disappearance, the Lancashire Post reported that Oswaldtwistle had "turned the streets blue" with hundreds of ribbons.[102] After confirmation of Slater's death, an emotional vigil in memory of him was attended by around 100 people in his native Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, in which dozens of blue balloons carrying messages were released into the sky. At the West End Methodist Church, a special memorial service was held where people were invited to light a candle for Slater and sign a book of condolence.[103]

The headteachers of West End Primary School and Rhyddings High School paid tribute to their former pupil, stating "all members of the school communities, both past and present, share in our condolences".[17] The Accrington and Rossendale College, where Slater was studying as an apprentice bricklayer, said it was "deeply saddened" to hear the news of his death, describing him as a "hard-working apprentice with a very bright future ahead of him".[104]

The funeral of Slater was held on 10 August, attended by up to 500 people.[105][106] Slater's family had said his funeral service would be a "celebration" of his life.[107] Mourners attending were asked to wear something blue in his memory. The service heard Slater "touched the lives of so many people",[108] as memories of his junior football achievements at Huncoat United were shared by its manager who described Slater as a "natural footballer" who "always played with a smile on his face".[109] He was remembered as a "loving son", a "cherished brother" and "a loyal friend to many".[110]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Butler, Alexander (10 August 2024). "Jay Slater's mother in tears as hundreds turn up to teenager's funeral". The Independent. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Confirman que Jay Dean Slater murió tras una caída". Radio Televisión Canaria (in Spanish). 16 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Jay Slater: Last known movements of British teen missing in Tenerife - and mother's fear about what has happened". Sky News. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  4. ^ a b Brown, Mark (30 June 2024). "Jay Slater mountain search is over, say Tenerife police". The Guardian.
  5. ^ a b Sephton, Connor (2 July 2024). "Jay Slater: British police react to news that search in Tenerife has been called off". Sky News. Retrieved 25 July 2024. Spanish officials have faced criticism for calling off the search for Jay, who was last seen on 17 June.
  6. ^ a b "Jay Slater's mum says 'our hearts are broken' after son's body found". BBC News. 16 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Jay Slater investigation carried out 'under secrecy' after Spanish court intervention". GB News. 15 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Jay Slater: Rescue workers searching for missing teen find human remains". Sky News. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Jay Slater: Body found in Tenerife is British teenager, court says". Sky News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  10. ^ Smallcombe, Mike (15 July 2024). "Jay Slater could have 'suffered accident or fall' as body found in Tenerife - live updates". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b Clatworthy, Ben (4 August 2024). "Jay Slater died of traumatic head injury, post-mortem reveals". The Times. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Body found on Tenerife is identified as British teen missing for nearly a month". Washington Post. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024. Rebillat, Clémentine (30 June 2024). "Le mystère sur la disparition de Jay Slater reste entier, les recherches en images". Paris Match (in French). Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  13. ^ a b c "Jay Slater's disappearance has exposed the horrifying cruelty of social media". The Independent. 25 June 2024.
  14. ^ a b "'You should be ashamed': Anger and recrimination in Jay Slater social media groups after body found". Sky News. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  15. ^ Aspinal, Adam; Blakey, Ashlie (17 July 2024). "Jay Slater's devastated parents leave tributes near Tenerife ravine where teen's body was found". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  16. ^ a b Al-Othman, Hannah (22 June 2024). "Mother of Jay Slater, missing in Tenerife, says police have 'stepped up' search". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  17. ^ a b Luck, Flaminia (16 July 2024). "Former schools of Jay Slater pay tribute to ex-pupil following discovery of human remains in Tenerife". LBC. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Persona desaparecida – Jay Dean Slater". SOS Desaparecidos (in Spanish). 17 June 2024. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  19. ^ Ferguson, Angela; O'Neill, Kara (16 July 2024). "Jay Slater was 'most smiley person in the room'". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2024. Moloney, Marita (15 July 2024). "Jay Slater's mother says 'our hearts are broken' after death confirmed". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  20. ^ Waddington, Marc; Lazaro, Rachael (15 July 2024). "Body found in Jay Slater hunt near last phone location". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2024. France, Anthony (28 June 2024). "Jay Slater's best friend reveals he heard missing Brit 'slipping on rocks' in final call". The Standard. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  21. ^ Gecsoyler, Sammy (10 August 2024). "Family and friends pay tribute to Jay Slater at funeral in Lancashire". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  22. ^ Stavrou, Athena (4 August 2024). "Jay Slater's body returned to the UK almost two months after he disappeared in Tenerife". The Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  23. ^ Butler, Alexander; Stavrou, Athena (18 July 2024). "Tenerife mapped: Where was Jay Slater last seen and where was his body found?". The Independent. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  24. ^ Slater, Chris; King, Jon (7 July 2024). "Jay Slater TV sleuth on 'real reason' teen 'wouldn't wait for lift'". Manchester Evening News.
  25. ^ "Sociedad Llama a sus amigos, apenas tiene batería y necesita agua: agonía en la prensa británica con el joven desaparecido en Tenerife". Cadena SER (in Spanish). 24 June 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  26. ^ "Jay Slater's friend reveals details of phone call before going missing in Tenerife". The Independent. 28 June 2024. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  27. ^ Couzens, Gerard; France, Anthony (28 June 2024). "Jay Slater: Tenerife police to stage massive new search operation for missing British teenager". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  28. ^ "El conflictivo pasado de Jay Slater, el joven desaparecido en Tenerife desde hace 10 días". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 26 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Timeline: The search for missing teenager Jay Slater in Tenerife". BreakingNews.ie. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  30. ^ Garnett, Nick; Madi, Mohamed (30 June 2024). "Jay Slater search scoured caves, ravines and cliffs". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  31. ^ Gillespie, Tom (2 July 2024). "Jay Slater: Five key questions over British teenager's disappearance". Sky News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  32. ^ Evans, Holly (22 July 2024). "Why did it take so long to find Jay Slater?". The Independent. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  33. ^ Evans, Holly; Gregory, Andy (17 July 2024). "What happened to Jay Slater? Three unanswered questions about British teen's disappearance on Tenerife". The Independent. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  34. ^ Watts, Matt (24 June 2024). "Jay Slater's father says family 'living in hell' as CCTV shows possible sighting of missing teenager". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Jay Slater: Officers searching for missing teen rescue 'disorientated' Scottish hiker". Sky News. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  36. ^ ""Missing Scots hiker" found by Jay Slater search team in Tenerife 'didn't need rescued'". Daily Record. 25 June 2024. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  37. ^ Gillespie, Tom (25 June 2024). "Jay Slater: Specialist search dogs brought in to hunt for missing teenager". Sky News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  38. ^ Ambrose, Tom (29 June 2024). "Jay Slater: expert volunteers join search for missing teenager in Tenerife". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  39. ^ "Jay Slater: Search for missing teenager in Tenerife called off by police". BBC News. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  40. ^ Hedgecoe, Guy; Humphries, Jonny (1 July 2024). "Normality returns to Jay Slater search village". BBC News. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  41. ^ Humphries, Jonny (22 July 2024). "Why did it take 29 days to find Jay Slater?". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  42. ^ Vesty, Helena; Bates, Isabelle (30 June 2024). "Spanish police refuse to say if 'parallel investigation' is related to Jay Slater disappearance". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 24 July 2024 – via Yahoo! News.
  43. ^ "How Jay Slater was found after '29 days of constant search'". Sky News. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  44. ^ Humphries, Jonny (14 July 2024). "New search team 'confident' it can find Jay Slater". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  45. ^ Parmenter, Tom (16 July 2024). "Jay Slater: Inside the valley where missing British teenager's body was found". Sky News. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  46. ^ Barley, Sophie; Jones, Gemma (16 July 2024). "ITV viewers criticise Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley over Jay Slater coverage". Chronicle Live.
  47. ^ Al-Othman, Hannah; Jones, Sam (15 July 2024). "Body found in area where Jay Slater went missing in Tenerife". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  48. ^ Fumero, Pedro (15 July 2024). "El cuerpo de Jay Slater, desaparecido en Tenerife, fue recuperado en helicóptero por lo escarpado del terreno". El Día (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  49. ^ "Jay Slater: body found in Tenerife is that of missing Briton, autopsy confirms". The Guardian. 16 July 2024.
  50. ^ Luck, Flaminia (23 July 2024). "Jay Slater autopsy reveals exactly how missing teenager died with tragic finding". LBC. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  51. ^ Salisbury, Josh (4 August 2024). "Jay Slater's final cause of death is revealed ahead of teenager's funeral". The Standard. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  52. ^ a b Morris-Grant, Brianna (28 June 2024). "Search for missing British teenager Jay Slater stretches into second week in Tenerife as family faces global online attention". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  53. ^ Vaughan, Henry (17 July 2024). "Jay Slater: How search for missing teenager captured nation's attention". Sky News. Retrieved 24 July 2024. Steedman, Elissa (23 June 2024). "Who is Jay Slater? The search for a missing teen has gone viral, sparking concern from police". ABC News Australia. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  54. ^ Rebillat, Clémentine (24 July 2024). "Retrouvé mort en Espagne, les dernières heures tragiques de Jay Slater". Paris Match (in French). Retrieved 12 August 2024. Vaughan, Henry (31 August 2024). "'It's a very lonely world': The Brits who go missing abroad". Sky News. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  55. ^ Kwai, Isabella; Moses, Claire (3 July 2024). "British Teenager's Disappearance Spurs Speculation and Sleuthing". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 July 2024. Al-Othman, Hannah (20 July 2024). "'Some countries do very little': agony for UK families of people missing abroad". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  56. ^ Collins, Leah; Guy, Jack; Labbe-Maalouf, Maeva (16 July 2024). "Body found on Spanish island is missing British teenager Jay Slater, court says". CNN. Retrieved 24 July 2024. "Jay Slater: Body found in Tenerife likely missing teen — police". 1News New Zealand. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  57. ^ "Spanish rescuers find remains thought to be of missing Briton Jay Slater". The Straits Times. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024. "What do we know about British teen Jay Slater, missing in Tenerife for over a week?". The Times of India. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  58. ^ Feiritear, Níall (26 June 2024). "Jay Slater 'spotted watching Euros' in Tenerife, says mayor of Spanish town". Sunday World. Retrieved 25 July 2024. The story of the missing teen has captured the attention of the British public, in a way not seen since Madeleine McCann went missing in 2007.
  59. ^ Wilde, Gabrielle (2 July 2024). "Jay Slater mystery: Ben Leo outlines 'difference' in Madeleine McCann case as questions raised over 'new evidence'". GB News. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  60. ^ McGee, Sarah (19 June 2024). "Jay Slater: Mum worried Oswaldtwistle teen 'taken against will'". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  61. ^ Casey, Ian; Trott, Fiona (24 June 2024). "Dad of missing Jay Slater says it is 'living hell' as search continues". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  62. ^ Chantler-Hicks, Lydia (25 June 2024). "Jay Slater search: Ex-Nicola Bulley police officer joins hunt for missing teenager in Tenerife". The Standard. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  63. ^ "Festival attended by missing teenager Jay Slater releases statement on his disappearance". LADbible. 22 June 2024. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  64. ^ "The Yorkshire man who 'vanished' on Tenerife 20 years before Jay Slater". Yahoo News. 27 June 2024.
  65. ^ "'My brother went missing like Jay Slater'". BBC News.
  66. ^ Buchanan, Abigail (19 July 2024). "The world was searching for my missing child. This is what happened when it lost interest". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  67. ^ "Disappearances in the Canary Islands: Why are there differences in search operations?". El Día. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  68. ^ "Teen's skull split in attack by yobs who chased him down like 'pack of gorillas'". Manchester Evening News. 4 August 2023. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  69. ^ McGee, Sarah (27 June 2024). "David Cameron speaks on Jay Slater during East Lancs visit". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  70. ^ "Jay Slater was 'most smiley person in the room'". BBC News. 16 July 2024.
  71. ^ Austin, Jon; Ryan, Cathal (24 July 2024). "Jay Slater Channel 5 documentary removed from TV schedule". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  72. ^ "JAY SLATER: CHANNEL 5 ANNOUNCES NEW DOCUMENTARY ON MISSING TEENAGER". TVZoneUK. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  73. ^ "Jay Slater's mum asks for more fundraising support to give teen a 'send-off'". Sky News. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  74. ^ Corbishley, Sam (22 June 2024). "What's really going on with the GoFundMes for missing teen Jay Slater". Metro. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  75. ^ Sherkock, Gemma; Garnett, Nick (22 June 2024). "Mum of Jay Slater issues 'we need you home' plea to missing son". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  76. ^ Conroy, Will (19 June 2024). "Sick fraudsters create fake GoFundMe page for Brit teenager missing in Tenerife". LBC. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  77. ^ Falvey, Dan (22 June 2024). "Jay Slater's Instagram 'accessed multiple times' since going missing as friends issue warning". GB News. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  78. ^ Bishop, Holly (19 June 2024). "Jay Slater's mum sent horror Snapchat message saying 'kiss your son goodbye' amid kidnapping fears". GB News. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  79. ^ Al-Othman, Hannah (19 August 2024). "Jay Slater's mother says internet trolls 'terrorising' her after son's death". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  80. ^ Nair, Joshua (19 August 2024). "Jay Slater's mum speaks out on rumours he 'stole £12k Rolex watch'". LADbible. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  81. ^ Tait, Albert (25 June 2024). "Police searching for missing Jay Slater in Tenerife rescue lost Scottish hiker". The Telegraph. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  82. ^ Al-Othman, Hannah (26 June 2024). "Jay Slater family fear online 'noise' may impede Tenerife search mission". The Guardian.
  83. ^ "Jay Slater: 'Traumatising' comments from amateur sleuths need to be stopped, says charity helping family". Sky News. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  84. ^ Sowerby, Poppy (25 June 2024). "Jay Slater and the horror of true-crime ghouls: Armchair detectives have turned a tragedy into a ghost story". UnHerd. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  85. ^ a b Manavis, Sarah (18 July 2024). "Jay Slater and our true-crime-poisoned culture". New Statesman. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  86. ^ Hines, Dominique (10 July 2024). "Jay Slater: TikTok star searching for missing teenager flew back to London in fear of his own safety". The Standard. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  87. ^ "The Indo Daily: The strange disappearance of Jay Slater and the grim world of TikTok 'sleuths'". Irish Independent. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  88. ^ Cardy, Phil (7 July 2024). "Uncle of Jay Slater 'thinking third party involvement from the start'". Teesside Live.
  89. ^ Luckman, Paul (21 July 2024). "Trolls, who are they, why do they do it?". The Portugal News. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  90. ^ "Amazon's name crops up in Jay Slater's disappearance: How is the online shopping giant involved?". The Economic Times. 29 June 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  91. ^ Sims, Vanessa (22 July 2024). "Nicola Bulley and Jay Slater: We're calling on PM Keir Starmer to stop online trolls in their tracks". Lancashire Post. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  92. ^ Waddington, Marc (17 July 2024). "'Vile' Jay Slater trolling 'devastating' for family". BBC News. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  93. ^ Humphries, Jonny (7 August 2024). "Scammers target Jay Slater's funeral, charity says". BBC News. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  94. ^ "Jay Slater: 'Heartless' online scammers target teenager's funeral claiming to offer livestream access". Sky News. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  95. ^ "Statement regarding disappearance of Jay Slater". lancashire.police.uk. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  96. ^ "Jay Slater: Mother of missing British teen 'spends eight hours in Tenerife police station' as officers 'step up' search". Sky News. 22 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  97. ^ Johnson, Becky (1 July 2024). "Jay Slater: Investigation into disappearance continues, insists Tenerife mayor". Sky News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  98. ^ Tait, Albert; Dolan, Patrick (26 June 2024). "Jay Slater 'spotted watching Euros' hours after last contact". The Telegraph. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  99. ^ Pearce, Georgia (27 June 2024). "Jay Slater: Spanish police warned of 'embarrassing' error as officers 'not considering all options'". GB News. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  100. ^ Pearce, Georgia (3 July 2024). "Jay Slater: Spanish Police criticised for 'overlooking basics' as mystery Airbnb man revealed". GB News. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  101. ^ Soteriou, Emma (27 June 2024). "Nicola Bulley cop slams Spanish police over Jay Slater search as he warns he'll release images of men seen with teen". LBC. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  102. ^ "Oswaldtwistle goes blue for Jay Slater after 19-year-goes missing in Tenerife". Lancashire Post. 21 June 2024.
  103. ^ Ostridge, Lauren (17 July 2024). "Emotional vigil held in Oswaldtwistle for Jay Slater, 19, as his body found in Tenerife". ITV News. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  104. ^ Britton, Paul (16 July 2024). "Jay Slater: College tribute to 'hard-working apprentice with bright future'". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  105. ^ Jahangir, Rumeana (10 August 2024). "Funeral held for British teenager Jay Slater". BBC News. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  106. ^ Ludlow, Mark (10 August 2024). "Jay Slater's funeral held to the sound of drum and bass". The Telegraph. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  107. ^ Stanley, Emma (4 August 2024). "Jay Slater's funeral will 'celebrate his life'". BBC News. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  108. ^ Pilling, Kim (10 August 2024). "Jay Slater's friends and family wear blue for funeral of 'forever 19' UK apprentice who died in Tenerife". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  109. ^ "Jay Slater: Hundreds gather for funeral of British teenager who died in Tenerife". Sky News. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  110. ^ "Jay Slater: Funeral of 19-year-old who died in Tenerife to be a 'celebration' of his life". Sky News. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

28°18′0.9050495981″N 16°50′59.8758383718″W / 28.300251402666138°N 16.849965510658834°W / 28.300251402666138; -16.849965510658834