The mysterious case of missing teen Jay Slater has got internet sleuths hooked.
The 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer went missing on June 17 in the remote Rural de Teno area of Tenerife, while holidaying for a three-day music festival. In the nine days since, local police have extensively searched the island using helicopters, drones, sniffer dogs and mountain rescue units - but there is still no sign of Jay.
The teen's disappearance has sparked a slew of wild conspiracy theories online and social media trolls have amplified unhinged theories about Jay and his family. A Facebook page called Jay Slater Discussions and Theories has over 287,000 members, and there are more than a dozen similar groups used by psychics and true crime ghouls.
Distraught Debbie has had to deal with some harrowing messages (ITV News)While many believe it is likely the teen tripped or collapsed on the treacherous path, amateur sleuths and trolls have sparked malicious theories about his whereabouts. Many have linked a white car seen on Google Streetview and CCTV to his disappearance, while others have unsubstantiated theories about possible mafia involvement and ISIS.
Reddit contributors have claimed that Jay fell into the clutches of an organised crime gang. "What if it's the same person that took Madeleine McCann," one TikToker bizarrely speculates.
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Trolls have even likened Jay's heartbroken mum, Debbie Duncan, to Karen Matthews, who infamously plotted to have her nine-year-old daughter kidnapped for ransom. She said on Sunday: "People keep asking on social media 'Why aren't I up there?' and calling me the new Karen Matthews. I just can't face it."
Spanish police and fire rescue teams continue to search for Jay on higher grounds in the Parque Rural de Teno (Stan Kujawa)Distraught Debbie told on the first day of the search how she was sent a vile Snapchat message. She said: "There's no ransom demand come in yet but I got a Snapchat about 10 minutes after I got off the plane saying 'Kiss goodbye to your boy, you're never going to see him again, he owes me a lot of money', which I passed on to police with the number it came from because I had my wits about me at the time and got my eldest son Zak to take a screen grab before it disappeared.
"There's been that many prank calls that I don't know whether that was one but I'm passing on information to police that I think could be relevant and I thought that could be," she added.
Others sleuths have trolled Jay's GoFundMe page, which was set up by his pal Lucy to aid the search. Heartbroken mum Debbie has been forced to respond to criticism and hate online. She wrote: "I really am saddened by all your comments. You seem to be so bothered about this GoFundMe page.
Some sleuths claim that Jay fell into the clutches of an organised crime gang (Men Media)
His friend Lucy set up a GoFundMe to help with the search (facebook)"I really hope I am not taking my son home in a body bag. The funds are not released [and] won't be if not needed. I really cannot believe the British public are not supporting me in trying to find Jay. This may happen to any of you one day. Very let down by you all."
She later apologised and corrected herself. She added: "What I meant was VERBAL support. I really hope I don't need this money. If it's not needed it all gets refunded to the people who really did care."
One theory Debbie has considered is the possibility of Jay being kidnapped. She shared her fears her son was "bundled off somewhere". Speaking to the Daily Mail last Thursday, she said: "I'm all over the place and I'm trying to keep positive, has somebody taken him? Is he panicked and lost in the mountains? I just don't know, that's why if anyone has any information please just tell us."
His pal Lucy Mae Law, 18, has echoed this theory and previously said the "more time goes on, the more I'm sure he has been taken" and "held against his will". She told the Mail: "At first I wasn't so sure but now I'm convinced. He is not stupid - if he left the house on his own he would have walked to the road and then tried to flag a car down or stop someone for help."
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