Everything we know about missing teen Jay Slater ahead of his funeral today (2024)

Jay Slater's funeral will today be held at Accrington Cemetery Chapel in Lancashire - the largest and oldest cemetery in Hyndburn - seven weeks after his disappearance

Loved ones will pay their respects to Jay Slater today at his funeral - nearly four weeks after the teenager was discovered dead in Tenerife.

Jay's parents Debbie Duncan, 55, and Warren Slater, 58, have this week had to contend with scammers making false claims about the teenager's funeral. Trolls planned fake funeral "live streams" in a bid to con well-wishers into donating cash.

LBT Global boss, Matthew Searle, has confirmed there will be no live stream, saying this is an elaborate scam. His charity has been working to support Jay's family since the 19-year-old man vanished in Tenerife. The apprentice bricklayer was found dead 29 days later in a ravine.

Accrington Cemetery Chapel - the largest and oldest cemetery in Hyndburn - is expected to be packed today with family and friends, each wearing blue, instead of the traditional black, in Jay's memory. His mother, Debbie, has requested only family flowers are brought to the funeral. Instead, grieving members of the public are asked to pay respects by bringing a single rose.

Proceedings, described as a "celebration of life service", start at 10.30am, and it's thought they will reflect the young man's passion for music and football.

After his death, family members paid tribute to the bricklayer, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. They said: "A loving son of Debbie and Warren, a cherished brother of Zak and brother-in-law of Jessica, a treasured grandson of Dawn, June and the late Dougie, a much-loved nephew of Glen and Katie, a dear cousin of Maddie and Tillie and a loyal friend to many. Jay will be very sadly missed by all those who knew him.

"After Jay left Rhyddings High School he went on to become an apprentice bricklayer with the PH Build group, a job he greatly enjoyed... At the young age of five Jay started playing football for Huncoat United FC until the age of 17 and also did a few seasons with the Sunday team at St Joesph’s too. He also loved spending time chilling out with his friends.

"Jay’s love of music and dance started at a very young age. He loved attending music festivals and events across the country and also loved to socialise and meet new people."

When Jay was discovered dead, tributes came pouring in from all over the world for the teen and his family, in what proved to be one of the most famous missing person cases the UK has ever seen. His post-mortem examination since found he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height. The report also highlighted that death was instantaneous.

But the search for Jay lasted 29 days after he was reported missing. He had attended the NRG music festival with two friends before his disappearance and his last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island. He had travelled to an Airbnb in Masca after a night out, but the two men said to have rented the property were later ruled "not relevant" to the case.

During the search, investigators turned their attention to an alleged "stolen Rolex". Police in Tenerife were reportedly probing claims of a nightclub scuffle over a stolen Rolex in the hours before Jay vanished.

Jay posted about 'stolen' £12,000 Rolex on Snapchat

TV detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who has worked on a number of high-profile cases, including the disappearance of Nicola Bulley, shed light on Jay's mindset before he vanished. The former cop alleged that during Jay's car journey to the Airbnb, he posted a video on Snapchat boasting about the theft of a Rolex watch.

Speaking in a video statement posted on social media, Mr Williams-Thomas claimed: "On route Jay posted a Snapchat saying that they had taken a £12,000 Rolex from a person. We have been unable to validate this in terms of a reported theft. However, friends of Jay said he would not make this up and the watch was the subject of a later conversation between them."

A 'fight broke out' while Jay was partying

Earlier reports suggest officers were probing claims of a nightclub scuffle over the stolen Rolex in the hours before Jay vanished. It was claimed that a fight had broken out outside Papagayo Beach Club - where Jay was pictured partying - involving a man who said his Rolex watch had been stolen. Shortly after, Police in Tenerife were reportedly investigating a new lead linked to Jay's disappearance.

At the time, it was not clear how the incident could be linked to Jay's case, but one friend suggested he could've gone to look for the watch. Following the claims, police reportedly turned their attention to CCTV and security camera footage of where the alleged scuffle took place, according to MailOnline.

Jay was 'scared' when he left Masca Airbnb

Detective Mark Williams-Thomas alleged that Jay was scared when he left the holiday rental where he was last seen, adding the teenager couldn't go back to the property, despite this being the most "sensible course of action". It is unclear where the alleged stolen Rolex was at this time.

Mr Williams-Thomas, who flew to Tenerife to help look for Jay, said: "We have received information that would suggest Jay left the rental property feeling scared and that he would not return to the rental, even though that would have been the most sensible course of action, and also where he could have charged his phone and got water."