The Mystery
On 15th October 2002, 15 months after he disappeared from the
hotel, Jeffrey`s body was found by tourists who were climbing a remote
headland cliff near Cala Llonga.
It would appear that he had been there since he vanished.
How he got there unaided remains a mystery.
In July 2004 the Coroner in Stockport declared an open verdict reinforcing the mysterious circumstances of his disappearance and tragic end.
It was upon the discovery of his body at that time that his parents went back to Spain to meet with the police and they were shown the spot where he lay.
It is the belief of the Spanish Police that, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, Jeffrey made his own way to the spot where he had eventually been found some 15 months later.
The family wished to retrace Jeffrey's steps and assess in their own minds how likely it was that this was the case.
The route on which the family was taken is described below.
A significant number of the local media were present upon arrival in Cala Llonga, who conducted interviews prior to the family and some friends visiting the spot where Jeffrey had been found.
Media representatives had already been informed by the Spanish Police that they were not permitted to follow the family and their party to the spot in question.
Firstly, the party were taken in a Police 4x4 vehicle up a road that leads up the headland behind the hotels in Cala Llonga. After 1.2 km, it was no longer safe to proceed by vehicle, and the party proceeded on foot for a further 25 minute climb up a steep rocky dirt track, not unlike the famous "Jacob`s Ladder" climb in EdaleDerbyshire,estimated at a further 2 km.
The Police then indicated that the party would need to leave the track and head off down into a ravine. Such was the nature of the terrain (dense, thorny bushes, trees, and very rocky) that only a few of the fittest party were able to continue following the Police. Despite numerous warnings from the Police that it may be too dangerous to continue, a few members of the party managed to reach the precise spot where Jeffrey had been found.
It had taken a further 35 minutes since leaving the dirt track to reach this spot through dense undergrowth. At times, the party had to resort to clambering on all fours.
Following a brief discussion with the Police, they vacated the area at the family's request. Flowers were laid at the spot where Jeffrey was found, by Jeffrey's brothers, David and Stephen.
At the request of Beryl and Derek, Jeffrey's parents, video footage and still photos were taken showing the spot where Jeffrey had been found as well as of the route from where he originally went missing.
A private meeting with the Police was then held in order that the family could present all of the questions that they had. The meeting was very open and honest, the Police conceding that lessons had been learned and that, in hindsight, perhaps more could have been done at the time of Jeffrey's disappearance.
It is the opinion of Jeffrey's family that he could not have walked over 3 km up a steep rocky mountain track, and then wandered down into a ravine for a further half an hour though thick undergrowth, particularly bearing in mind that he had gone missing at night time, i.e. it would have been dark. Jeffrey's family not only feel that he would be physically incapable of making such a journey without assistance, but also that it is quite simply not in his nature to attempt to do so.
Jeffrey has always been attracted to people, noise and activity.
To his family, it is therefore inconceivable that Jeffrey would choose to wander 3 km up a dark mountainside in preference to exploring somewhere as lively as Cala Llonga. So, the situation is that the Spanish Police feel that Jeffrey has wandered off to the spot where he was eventually found some 15 months later (which in itself gives a fair idea of how remote the spot was), where as Jeffrey's family are unable to accept this conclusion and cannot comprehend why Jeffrey would have attempted, or how he could have achieved such an arduous trek, without assistance from others.
The views and concerns of the family are shared by many of their friends both on and off Ibiza.
Just what did happen in-between Jeffrey going missing and his body being found in a ravine more than 3 km away? There are certainly plenty of unanswered questions worthy of further consideration.
The Headland is shown clearly in the photograph below. The red circle being the area he was found and the red line shows the route from the Cala Llonga resort.
A larger image can be viewed by clicking here
Last updated October 2004 Page still Under Development