Yahoo News Man who helped with Nicola Bulley search arrives in Tenerife to help find Jay Slater
Former British detective Mark Williams-Thomas has joined the search for missing teenager Jay Slater in Tenerife.
The investigator, known for his involvement in several high-profile cases including the Nicola Bulley investigation, was seen on the island where 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer Jay was last spotted. Williams-Thomas reached out to Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, aged 55, on Sunday, offering assistance and is now aiding the family pro bono to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance.
Before the family took up his offer, Williams-Thomas expressed confidence in providing them with answers swiftly, suggesting a three-day timeframe. He also pledged to pursue the two British individuals Jay reportedly stayed with at a holiday rental shortly before he went missing.
He commented: "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. I would quickly be able to establish whether or not there are suspicious circumstances - but I'd need total access to everything and to speak to all the witnesses involved."
"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 co-operation, I'd need to speak to every witness involved; those that he's been with since he's been on the island. Some people will be more persons of interest than others.", reports the Mirror.
Mr Williams-Thomas, a former family liaison officer and detective turned leading TV investigator, was the lead sleuth on the ITV Exposure documentary, The Other Side of Jimmy Savile. This documentary unveiled the disturbing predatory behaviour of the late BBC presenter towards young and vulnerable girls.
He reportedly arrived on the Spanish island late Monday night, coinciding with the day Jay's family shared a potential new sighting photo and his father's plea for assistance in bringing him home. The blurry image was taken by a webcam at 6pm last Monday 10 hours after the 19 year old's last confirmed location four miles uphill in the mountain village of Masca.
Yesterday, the search expanded to other parts of the municipality where the teenager was last seen. Civil Guard officers confirmed that forest trails and tracks north of his last known location are now under scrutiny.
Police and fire officers also continued their search in three separate ravines including one where it is believed Jay's phone last "pinged" shortly after he vanished on Monday, June 17.
Before his disappearance, Jay had been attending the New Rave Generation festival in southwest Tenerife. He left the event with two British men to return to their holiday rental, located over 20 miles from his Los Cristianos apartment where he was staying with his best friend Lucy Law, 18, and another companion.
On Monday morning, he made a distressing call to Lucy, explaining that he was stranded with no water and his phone battery at 1%, which reportedly died 20 minutes later at 8.50am.
Former detective Mr Williams-Thomas expressed his determination on Sunday: "It's a week on now - I need to get on the ground and get them answers. It's about finding Jay. I come with credibility, will work with them and Spanish police, and get them the answers they need."
He also questioned the circumstances surrounding the disappearance: "We need to establish what the involvement is with these two guys [he stayed with], why he went back to the Airbnb and then why just leave? The chances of him wandering off are possible, but is there more to this? ".
