‘Disturbing’ Levi Davis update as cops hand missing X Factor star’s case to special crime unit over ‘unexplained issues’
THE case of missing X Factor star Levi Davis has been handed over to a special crime unit in Spain after "disturbing" new evidence emerged.
The 24-year-old former professional rugby star was last seen leaving a pub in Barcelona on October 29 after travelling from Ibiza.
Reports have speculated Levi may have drowned after being hunted by criminals over a £100,000 debt.
Catalan Police told the that Levi remains a missing person - but the case has now been taken over by a specialist crime unit.
Cops said the case contains "disturbing" issues with "no logical explanation".
A spokesman for the force said: "This case is being led by a specialist investigative unit based in Barcelona.
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"With the information at our disposal, it doesn’t appear that this person has gone missing voluntarily and doesn’t want to be found.
"It doesn’t necessarily mean he’s been the victim of a crime.
"And it’s important to clarify that the group that’s now investigating this person’s disappearance is not a murder squad or homicide unit because that would mean there is a probability or certainty he is dead."
He did not confirm how many officers make up the unit or how many have been assigned to the case.
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"But there has been a change in the way the investigation is being conducted," the spokesman said.
"The probe remains open and we hope to resolve it in the best way possible and as fast as possible."
Levi's pal Richard Squire has been leading the desperate effort to find him - which he has described as an "emotional rollercoaster".
"I'm dealing with people that I've never met before," he told the BBC.
"You don't know what information is right, what information is wrong. And it's just incredibly upsetting.
"Even though it's four months it still feels like the first day every day. And it's difficult, it's hard."
Richard said he dropped Levi in Ibiza town on October 28 and later sent a voice note to check on him.
Levi told him he'd left the island and said he would call when he arrived in Barcelona, but he never did.
A few minutes past midnight on October 30, Levi reportedly sent a voice note to a different pal.
In the message - heard by the BBC - he said Barcelona was "absolutely beautiful".
"It's amazing. I'm literally just getting all my inspo. I love it. It's so good," he said.
It was the last known contact he had with any of his friends or family.
LEVI DAVIS DISAPPEARANCE TIMELINE
October 25 - Posted video on Instagram in which he talked about being blackmailed by criminals, who threatened to kill him and his family. It was originally deleted.
October 29 - Travelled to Barcelona from Ibiza and sent a video from the ferry in which he can be heard saying: "Hi mum... it's beautiful."
October 29 - Was seen around 10.30pm on CCTV leaving the Old Irish Pub. Close friend Mike Guida revealed he was left a message by Levi soon after he left the pub. He also made a mystery payment from his phone hours before.
October 30 - Levi's phone signal was last detected close to Barcelona's Sants Estació mainline train station overnight.
November 17 - Cops reported to be investigating two new sightings of Levi after he was potentially spotted just minutes from the pub.
November 19 - Levi’s passport was found in the port area of Barcelona, near a cargo shipment. His mum revealed his bank card had not been used since he vanished and only had €40 on him.
December 9 - Private Investigator Gavin Burrows begins working on the case and he offers a £10,000 reward for information leading to discovering what happened to Levi.
January 27 - Gavin Burrows reveals Levi may have fled for his life from his flat to escape a Somali drug gang he owed money to.
February 1 - Levi's Instagram had up to 38 contacts mysteriously deleted after he vanished, Burrows revealed. The names and how they were deleted could provide vital clues about what happened to him.
February 3 - The last video made by Levi resurfaces after being retrieved by Burrows and his team
February 27 - Levi's case is handed over to a specialist crime unit in Spain after "disturbing" new evidence emerged
A friend of Levi's has also come forward to tell a private investigator working for his family that a message they sent had in fact been read.
Gavin Burrows' Line of Inquiry firm is offering a £10,000 reward for information that could lead to Levi being found.
In the December 15 message, which has been shared with The Sun Online, Levi’s friend pleaded: “Please come home. I love you. And miss you xx.”
Underneath the messages can be seen "Read" - indicating someone has seen it.
"It's either Levi himself - and we hope so - or it's someone who has managed to get a hold of his PIN," Burrows said.
It comes as it emerged Levi’s Instagram had up to 38 contacts mysteriously deleted after he vanished.
Levi posted a posted a haunting final video in which he said he was being blackmailed by criminals who threatened to kill him and his family.
He said the blackmail began after he had been on X Factor in 2019, though he initially deleted the Instagram video.
Several former show participants have now told Burrows they believed Levi was indeed being blackmailed.
Exactly what has happened to Levi remains a mystery.
The rugby player-turned-reality star performed on X Factor: Celebrity with fellow rugby players Ben Foden and Thom Evans as part of the group Try Star.
In 2020, he starred in the E4 dating series Celebs Go Virtual Dating.
Levi made history that year when he was the first rugby union player to come out as bisexual while still playing.
After his time on X Factor he began to build a music career with a second single - Los Angeles - due to be released in November, for which publicity pictures were taken.
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The investigation into his disappearance is continuing and Burrows has urged to arrest a friend accused of hindering the investigation.
But until his body has been found, he has said he has to keep open the possibility that Levi is alive and could even be in hiding.
