For almost three years, Julie Davis has endured every mother’s worst fear—not knowing if her son is dead or alive.
Levi Davis, 24, a promising rugby union player, vanished on October 29, 2022, leaving his mother in agonising uncertainty.
Julie told Somerset Live: “It feels worse than a bereavement. When someone’s missing, you are constantly grieving. But I will never give up hope of finding Levi alive.”
The last conversation she had with Levi haunts her. He had just landed in Barcelona and called asking for £30 to pay for a hotel.
Julie recalls: “He phoned and said, ‘Mum, can you send £30?’ But I said, ‘Look, Levi, you know I’ve been supporting you more than enough over the past number of months. You’ve got to learn to stand on your own two feet’.” She later sent a text asking if he had managed to get the money. “There was no reply.”
Levi, once a winger for Bath Rugby and part of X Factor: Celebrity trio Try Star, was last seen on CCTV leaving The Old Irish Pub on La Rambla around 10pm. He had only a drink or two and, short on cash, reached out to friends and family. His final message, sent after midnight, was a WhatsApp text to a friend.
Julie explains Levi’s travels followed a serious knee injury that threatened his rugby career. “Levi wanted to travel Europe because of his anterior cruciate ligament tear. He’d been in Ibiza for a couple of weeks to work on music, and he said he planned to stay at a hotel in Barcelona overnight before going to his next destination, which was left open. But he had run out of funding.”
The day after his disappearance, cruise ship passengers near Barcelona’s port reported seeing a man in the water wearing a white T-shirt. “Whoever saw him in the water said he looked to have been dark-skinned and aged around 30,” Julie said.
Spanish police searched but eventually stopped, concluding Levi had drowned. His phone last pinged near an underground station by the port, and his passport was found a week later near the cargo section. His bank account remains untouched.
Julie has faced bureaucratic obstacles. “When it finally [the police report] arrived last year, half of it was in Spanish and half in Catalan, so we had to get it translated—all 250 pages. We’re now crowdfunding to find a solicitor. The cheapest quote we’ve had is £5k, just for the initial work. As far as the UK police are concerned, we’ve been completely forgotten.”
According to her, the Spanish police acknowledge that they currently lack any fresh leads.
In the meantime, the West Midlands Police have issued the following statement: “The investigation is being run by the Spanish authorities, and we are supporting it when required. Our thoughts remain with Levi’s family and we will continue to provide them with any updates from the Spanish authorities as their investigation continues.”
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