Lingering Questions and Missing Voices in Jay Slater’s Death Inquest
Something doesn’t add up with Jay Slater’s case, and that’s why the inquest into his death has been put on ice. Jay, just 19 and working as an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, travelled to Tenerife in June 2024 for what should have been a bit of fun at the NRG music festival. That night changed everything.
He wasn’t alone—friends Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves joined him. But after the festival, Jay decided to leave with two men, one of whom turned out to be Ayub Qassim, a convicted drug dealer. The trio ended up at an Airbnb tucked away in the tiny village of Masca. The next morning, Jay’s phone sent its last signal at 8:49 a.m. from close to that Airbnb. After that, all communication stopped. Nobody saw Jay alive again.
A frantic search by friends, family, and authorities lasted 29 long days. Jay’s mother, Debbie Slater, never lost hope, but the discovery of his body in a remote ravine in the Rural de Teno National Park put an end to any dreams of a miracle. Pathologists determined he died instantly or almost right away from a severe head injury. Tests showed he also had drugs in his system, though officials haven’t said what type or how much.
Proceedings Put on Hold as Witnesses Vanish
You’d think someone would have some answers about Jay’s final hours. But when Preston Coroner's Court gathered for the inquest, the session hit a brick wall. Debbie Slater made a direct, emotional plea for all the witnesses to show up. She wants to hear from those last with her son—and who wouldn’t?
Here’s where it got frustrating. Three key people—Bradley Geoghegan, Brandon Hodgson, and Lucy Law—not only received official summons to appear, but also didn’t even acknowledge them. In a packed courtroom, with family members desperate for closure, their silence spoke volumes. The coroner, Dr. James Adeley, had no choice but to adjourn proceedings and press authorities to track these people down. He made it clear: until answers come from those who saw Jay in his final hours, the inquest can’t move forward.
So far, what we do know creates more questions than answers. Why did Jay leave the festival with men he didn’t know well, including someone with a criminal background? Did anyone see what happened in those last hours at the Airbnb? Was the presence of drugs in his system a sign of voluntary use or something more sinister?
What really sticks is the silence. Jay’s family, especially his mother, have only pain and speculation to go on. The search for the truth now depends on locating these missing witnesses—without them, the picture stays incomplete, and for Jay’s loved ones, the nightmare continues.
