**Warning Message from Friend Revealed as Inquest Reopens into Jay Slater’s Tragic Tenerife Death**
Fresh details have emerged at the inquest into the death of Jay Slater, the 19-year-old from Lancashire whose body was found in a remote ravine in Tenerife last summer. Proceedings at Preston Coroner’s Court this week uncovered a series of concerning messages and phone calls exchanged between Jay and his friends in the hours leading up to his tragic disappearance.
Jay Slater, an apprentice bricklayer, journeyed to Tenerife from his home in east Lancashire to attend the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas in June 2024. After an evening at the festival, Jay travelled with acquaintances to a rented property in the isolated village of Masca, situated in the island’s north-western region. In the early hours of 17 June, Jay set out on foot, telling friends he intended to return to Los Cristianos where he was staying.
The inquest revealed that, at around 2:39am, Jay sent a worrying text to a friend stating, “They’ve got a marker on me.” His friend, alarmed by the message, urged him: “You need to get home lad, you’re off your barnet.” This exchange highlighted the growing concern amongst Jay’s circle, as the messages suggested that he feared he was in some kind of trouble.
Further messages sent from Jay’s phone between 5.03am and 5.52am suggested an escalating situation. One notably cryptic message read: “Just took a £12k Rolly off some **** off to get 10 quid for it now.” At the inquest, Jay’s friend Josh Forshaw explained that “10 quid” is regional slang within their peer group, likely referring to £10,000 rather than ten pounds—a claim supported by Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Higson, who confirmed the term’s usage in some local communities.
The court further learned that, at around 7.30am, Jay made a video call to a friend, Brad Hargreaves, during which Jay said he lacked the funds for a taxi. Brad encouraged him to get a taxi regardless and assured Jay that his friends would sort payment if he was unable to. Despite the gravity of the situation, Brad reported that Jay sounded intoxicated but did not appear distressed or to be calling for help.
In the hours before the video call, Jay had also sent an alarming photo to Josh Forshaw, reportedly showing multiple knives tucked into his trousers, with the message indicating he was carrying them “in case it kicks off.” However, friends state there was no indication Jay was engaged in a fight or at immediate risk at the time.
Eyewitness statements from local builders working in Masca on the morning of Jay’s disappearance recount seeing him on a roadside around 7.50am, asking about bus times. These encounters were the last known sightings before his phone’s signal disappeared in the vicinity of the Juan Lopez ravine.
Tragically, after a significant search effort, Jay’s body was discovered in the ravine on 15 July 2024, a month after his disappearance. A subsequent post-mortem examination determined that Jay died from traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fatal fall from height.
Lancashire’s Senior Coroner, Dr James Adeley, had previously opened the inquest upon Jay’s return to the UK, with the final hearing commencing on 21 May before being adjourned for further evidence. Family and friends await closure, as questions remain about the circumstances leading up to Jay’s death and the precise events of his final hours.
The tragic loss of Jay Slater has left a profound mark on the local community, with many continuing to seek answers and justice for the young man’s untimely end. The inquest resumes in the coming months, where it is hoped that a fuller picture of the events will emerge.