Private investigator reveals Jay Slater armed himself with two knives before disappearing in Tenerife


  • 12-06-2025
  • Tenerife
  • Canarian Weekly
  • Photo Credit: Stock Image
Private investigator reveals Jay Slater armed himself with two knives before disappearing in Tenerife

New revelations have emerged in the case of Jay Slater, the British teenager who vanished in Tenerife last year, including claims he armed himself with two knives after allegedly stealing a bag of ketamine.

The 19-year-old disappeared in June 2024 following a music festival on the island. His body was discovered four weeks later at the bottom of a ravine in the rural Masca region, sparking widespread speculation and international media attention.

Now, former detective turned investigative journalist, Mark Williams-Thomas, has uncovered new details about Slater’s final hours. In a forthcoming podcast, he reveals the first full witness testimony from the last person known to have seen Slater alive.

According to the investigation, Slater fled an Airbnb in Masca in a state of paranoia after taking a "drug cocktail" and stealing a bag of ketamine. He is said to have concealed two kitchen knives in his trousers, telling a friend in a voice message he was "on a mission" and unable to return to the rental property.

Private investigator reveals Jay Slater armed himself with two knives before disappearing in Tenerife

One key witness, 31-year-old Ayub Qassim, who has a previous conviction for drug offences, told Williams-Thomas he picked up Slater’s friends, Lucy Law, Bradley Hargreaves, and Brandon Hodgson, after the group attended a festival. He claims Slater had taken the ketamine and then disappeared from the rented apartment.

“I was freaking out,” Qassim is heard saying in a recording played in the podcast. “It was the two bottles of Henny. Eventually, I turned to Brandon and said, ‘Tell this idiot to get back in the car.’”

Qassim alleges Slater left the rental early in the morning and took drugs belonging to him, prompting fears of retaliation.

Williams-Thomas suggests that the remote Airbnb location may have been chosen to avoid drawing attention to any illegal activity.

Slater’s friend, Lucy Law, who has spoken publicly for the first time, confirmed the teenager told her he had armed himself with two knives “just in case” and said he could not return to the accommodation.

Private investigator reveals Jay Slater armed himself with two knives before disappearing in Tenerife

The new findings come just weeks after a coroner criticised Spanish authorities for failing to locate key witnesses. Williams-Thomas has now tracked down two of those individuals.

Jay Slater’s mother, Debbie, has been informed of the latest developments. Williams-Thomas described her as “heartbroken”, adding: “It’s always incredibly difficult for a parent to hear things that may reflect badly on a loved one.”

The podcast, Jay Slater: The Investigation, is set to be released in two parts later this week.

 

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