An ex-detective who initially helped Jay Slater’s family, when the 19-year-old went missing, has made a bombshell claim about the Spanish police and a piece of evidence that was allegedly ignored
The ex-detective who initially helped Jay Slater’s family during his disappearance has made a bombshell revelation over new evidence he discovered. Mark Williams-Thomas accused Spanish police of failing to investigate a key piece of evidence he had in his possession, which could have helped to shed light onto the famous mystery.
The ex-cop claimed Spanish authorities “never came back” to him when he told them he had he had a crucial audio recording to share as part of their investigation into Jay. This bombshell claim comes as an inquest into Jay’s death was launched at Preston Crown Court this month.
Mark, in a seven-minute long video, revealed the difficulties he faced when dealing with the Spanish police and claimed he was ignored when he told investigators he had a key audio recording.
The ex-detective said: “I sent the information I had in an email to Spanish authorities. I told them I wasn’t able to share the audio recording at this point because I needed to explain to them how I had obtained it and also I was very conscious that it was highly sensitive and I didn’t want it just being shared all around. They’ve never come back to me.”
Mark suggested a reason why Spanish cops could have allegedly ignored him, and said the authorities in some countries “really don’t like working with the public to get information, they think they always know the answers”.
The 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, had travelled to Tenerife for the NRG music festival in July 2024. He dramatically disappeared after the festival and a huge manhunt was sparked on the island.
A 29 day search for the apprentice bricklayer ensued and he was eventually found in a remote national park, around a three hour walk from the town of Masca – where Slater went with two men he met at the festival.
Spanish authorities determined the 19-year-old died after sustaining multiple injuries consistent with a fall in a rocky area. Now, during an inquest 10 months after his death, Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd said Jay’s body was already decomposing when he examined it. The inquest also heard Jay had a cocktail of drugs in his system when he died.
The inquest was also abruptly halted on Wednesday after Jay’s distraught mum Debbie asked for it to be stopped until several witnesses, including Jay’s pal Lucy Law, who is reportedly in Tenerife, can be found to give evidence.
The Airbnb where Jay slept shortly before going missing has changed it’s name in a desperate big to distance itself from the 19-yera-old’s case. The two-bed property was named Casa Abuela Tina but has now been christened Casa El Turron.
In the weeks after Jay’s disappearance, the spot became a dark tourist attraction with tourists keen to see where the teen was last seen alive.