As the search for Jay Slater enters its second week, the teenager's past in coming to light on social media.
The British teenager, 19, was reported missing in Tenerife last Monday (June 17) as he attended the NRG music festival. As the search continues, details about his past are coming to light and sparking conspiracy theories from social media users.
As reported by the Independent, Slater was one of eight people involved in a brutal 2021 assault on Tom Hilton, who was 17 at the time.
The group of teens - with the youngest being 14 - used a machete, golf clubs, and an axe in the attack, which occurred in Rishton, Lancashire.
Hilton sustained severe injuries, including a split skull, exposed bone, and deep wounds to his shoulders and legs.
The gang, described by a judge as acting like a “pack of wolves,” forced Hilton to flee for his life through nearby woods.
Throughout the 2023 trial, the defendants laughed and joked, with Judge Philip Parry remarking on their lack of respect for the court, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Judge Parry emphasized the seriousness of their group behavior, noting that each deserved youth detention but opted for a rehabilitative approach given the charges.
Slater, an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, received an 18-month community order, 25 days of rehabilitation activities, and 150 hours of unpaid work for his role in the attack.
After serving most of his sentence, he went on holiday to Tenerife.
Following his disappearance, online trolls have labeled the ongoing situation it as “karma” as a result of his past actions. Others have even claimed that Jay's disappearance is down to his involvement in criminal activity - an unfounded allegation.
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However, Hilton urged compassion in a now-deleted Facebook post.
Referencing the ongoing conspiracy theories and comments, Hilton - now 19 - said: "Whoever is writing on these TikToks, give it a rest.
"This young lad's missing and his family's heartbroken. Put yourself in their shoes. Stop talking nonsense on social and get this lad found, mentioning my name all this and that. Have some respect and help find this boy and get him back to his family."
Conspiracy theories have surfaced on social media after Slater's mother, Debbie Duncan, reported receiving a Snapchat message warning: “Kiss goodbye to your boy, you’re never going to see him again, he owes me a lot of money.”
Despite criticism of a fundraising page that reached its £30,000 target to aid the search, Duncan urged the public to empathize, stating: “This may happen to you.”
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In the early hours of Monday, June 17, Jay left an afterparty at 5:00AM and headed to Masca - a rural village 19 miles away from the NRG venue - with two British men.
At around 7:30AM, he shared a Snapchat image showed him at a farmhouse Airbnb.
Between the hours of 8:00AM and 9:00AM, he spoke to a local woman about bus times. Jay also called friend Lucy Mae to tell her that he was lost, thirsty, and that his phone battery was critically low.
The teenager also said he was going to attempt to walk back to their shared accomodation - a journey that would take roughly 10 hours.
After their phone call, Jay's phone battery died, with his last tracked location being in the Rural de Teno Park, a popular hiking area.
Lucy Mae reported Jay missing shortly after 9:00AM.
The two men who rented the Airbnb have been questioned by police but have since returned to Britain, leaving family and friends in disbelief.
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