**Drugs Found in Jay Slater’s System Close to Time of Death, Inquest Hears**
The inquest into the death of 19-year-old Jay Slater has revealed that the teenager had consumed multiple illegal substances in the days leading up to his passing. British and Spanish authorities confirmed the presence of several drugs through post mortem toxicology tests, shedding new light on the final hours before his tragic accident on the Spanish island of Tenerife.
Jay Slater was discovered dead in the Juan Lopez ravine within Tenerife’s Rural Parc de Teno on 15 July of last year. His disappearance had sparked a month-long search and widespread media attention, particularly after he was last seen leaving a remote Airbnb in the village of Masca on foot in the early hours of 17 June, shortly after attending the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas.
At Preston Coroner’s Court on 21 May, details emerged regarding the substances uncovered in Jay’s system. Toxicological analysis conducted in the UK revealed ecstasy as well as a substance produced when cocaine and alcohol are combined. Dr Stephanie Martin, a UK toxicologist, addressed the difficulty in pinpointing the exact timing of the drug use, but testified that the drugs were ‘likely taken within a day or so of his death’.
Spanish authorities e conducted their own forensic investigations, discovering ketamine and related metabolites. According to Dr Martin, there was evidence suggesting that the use of ketamine may have taken place over a longer term compared to the other drugs identified. The timing differences between the British and Spanish autopsies were suggested as possible reasons for discrepancies in findings.
The inquest heard further insight from witnesses who encountered Jay in the hours before his disappearance. A man named Josh recalled meeting Jay on the outbound flight from Manchester and later during the music festival itself. According to his account to the coroner, Jay was visibly intoxicated and appeared to be in high spirits, describing him as ‘off his head on drugs’ but ‘dead happy’. Josh recounted helping Jay break an ecstasy pill in half at Jay’s request.
The festival scene, as relayed in court, painted a picture of typical holiday excess – with Josh admitting to consuming between 10 and 15 shots of vodka that evening himself. Jay’s involvement in recreational drug use during such events, whilst not uncommon, tragically preceded the events which led to his fatal accident.
Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd provided the coroner’s court with the official cause of Jay’s death. He concluded that Jay suffered a significant fall, sustaining fatal head injuries consistent with a descent from a considerable height. This corroborates previous information that Jay’s body was found at the foot of a steep ravine following his disappearance.
The case has captivated the public. Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Lancashire, vanished in a remote and rugged part of Tenerife, prompting desperate pleas for information and widespread social media appeals. The newly released details about his state at the time of death may provide some clarity, but many questions remain surrounding his final movements and the choices made in the hours before his disappearance.
As the inquest continues, the combination of witness testimony and forensic examination is helping to piece together a fuller narrative of the events leading to Jay Slater’s untimely death. The story acts as a reminder of the risks associated with combining substance use and unfamiliar, challenging environments—particularly while travelling abroad.
Authorities and family have expressed their continued grief and the hope that the ongoing investigation, alongside the inquest findings, might provide much-needed closure, while also highlighting the importance of awareness around recreational drug use and the consequences that can so tragically unfold.