A top ex-detective has claimed that the search for missing Brit Jay Slater should be treated as a “murder inquiry” and that the chances of finding him are “not looking good”.
The 19-year-old from Lancashire was reported missing a week ago (June 17) after he called his friend Lucy, telling her he was lost in a rural area of the island with only 1% battery left on his phone.
His last known location was half a mile north of Masca village. Despite ongoing efforts by emergency workers, including the Civil Guard, mountain rescue team and fire crews, the challenging terrain of the Rural de Teno park is proving difficult to search.
READ MORE: Missing Jay Slater ‘spotted’ on CCTV hours after Tenerife disappearance
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(Image: MEN Media)
Offers of help have come in from unusual sources, from mediums to television sleuths – and now an ex-detective chief inspector has given his thoughts on the search. Speaking to The Sun, Steve Gaskin claims that the search should not just be a simple missing person one, as it should be treated like a murder inquiry.
He also claimed that several key questions had not been asked – also failed to elaborate on what inside knowledge he had on the case, if any.
He said: “I’d want to know what he’d had from breakfast. Why has a 19-year-old bricklayer gone missing, what was he doing there, I would want to know everything about him, who was the last person to see him, check all their backgrounds too.
“The longer this goes on the more you’re likely to suspect a criminal element. It’s not looking good after this amount of time.”
Another ex-cop who has offered help is Mark Williams-Thomas, who previously investigated the disappearance of Nicola Bulley and exposed Jimmy Savile as a prolific paedophile, said he wants to determine if a third party was involved in Jay’s disappearance.
(Image: Stan Kujawa)
The sleuth has offered his services for free and reckons he can find out what’s going on within just 72 hours – but has not yet heard back from the family.
“I would quickly be able to do establish whether or not there are suspicious circumstances – but I’d need total access to everything and to speak to all the witnesses involved,” he said.
(Image: PA)
“Having feet on the ground and looking at the scenario and circumstances, I know I will get to the bottom of this in three days. If the family work with me, I will get them answers. It is crucial for the family. It is difficult for them, dealing with foreign police who handle it differently, but I’d need their full cooperation.”
The search continues.
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