In a story that seems ripped from a thriller novel, the chilling final text messages sent by a kayaker to his wife, just moments before he vanished to fake his own death, have been revealed.
James Gray, then 49, embarked on what his family believed was a solo fishing trip off the Scottish coast near Inverness in January 2022. The trip was a ruse, a meticulously planned disappearance that would trigger a massive search operation and leave his loved ones in a state of devastating grief for months.
The messages, obtained by The Mirror, show a calculated and cold-hearted final communication. He texted his wife: "The weather has picked up. I’m going to head in. I love you, tell the kids I love them too."
It was the last anyone would hear from him. His abandoned kayak was later discovered, deliberately damaged and adrift, prompting fears he had been thrown into the frigid waters of the Moray Firth and drowned.
The Devastating Search and a Web of Lies
His disappearance sparked an extensive and costly search mission involving lifeboats, helicopters, and coastguard teams. His heartbroken family, including his wife and children, were left to mourn a man they believed was lost at sea.
Unbeknownst to them, Gray was alive and well, having orchestrated the entire event. He was eventually tracked down and arrested in July 2022, living under a new identity in the village of Crossgates, Fife.
A Twisted Motive Exposed
During his trial at the High Court in Glasgow, the shocking motive behind his cruel charade was laid bare. Prosecutor Alex Sutherland stated, "He effectively abandoned his family, leaving them to believe he was dead... This was all part of a plan to leave his old life behind and effectively start a new one."
The court heard how Gray had been leading a double life, entangled in an affair with another woman. His elaborate scheme was a desperate attempt to escape his marriage and financial pressures.
In November 2022, James Gray was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to fraud and breaching the peace. The judge condemned his actions, which caused immense emotional trauma to his family and wasted significant public resources on the futile search.
The revelation of his final texts adds another layer of cruelty to the deception, showcasing the calculated nature of a man who willingly put his wife and children through unimaginable pain.
