A 17-year-old boy who vanished under suspicious circumstances last week and texted his mother that he was taken by “four Hispanic” individuals, prompting an Amber Alert and multi-agency search, is now being investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after new evidence allegedly suggests that the disappearance was all a hoax.
On Thursday, September 25, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an Amber Alert for 17-year-old Caden Rex Speight. At the time, authorities stated that Speight was last seen in the 12800 block of SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon at around 4:10 p.m. that afternoon, and it was believed that he may have been shot and abducted by four Hispanic individuals who were traveling in a van.
When MCSO deputies responded to the area, they found an abandoned vehicle that belonged to Speight.
While MCSO searched for Speight, with assistance from other state and federal agencies, investigators discovered that Speight had purchased a bicycle, a tent, and camping supplies from an Ocala Walmart shortly before he went missing. He had also sent text messages to his family claiming that he had been “shot and abducted.”
In an update, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods stated that “evidence of a single gunshot” was found in the area where Speight had left his vehicle. However, the sheriff stated that “(Speight’s) claims that he had been shot and abducted” were quickly proven to be “completely made up.”
On the afternoon of Friday, September 26, Speight was found in Williston.
Sheriff Woods said on Monday, September 29, that there were “an alarming amount of red flags initially” while investigating Speight’s disappearance, and multiple witnesses “contradicted the initial information.”
Sheriff Woods stated that Speight “simply rode away towards Williston while the rest of us were left to think the worst and my team was working in overdrive to solve this case.”
According to the sheriff, an investigation revealed that Speight had a handgun with him at the time of his disappearance. Shortly before he walked out onto a roadway in Williston, where he was located by citizens, he allegedly “chose to shoot himself in the leg,” which caused a “non-life-threatening” injury.
“There is ZERO chance that Caden’s gunshot wound came from any type of assailant,” said Sheriff Woods on Monday.
MCSO is still actively investigating this case and processing all of the evidence, which has not yet been fully examined by detectives. Sheriff Woods added that there are “a lot of questions for (Speight),” but his parents are allegedly refusing to allow detectives to speak with him.
According to Sheriff Woods, many citizens have asked if Speight will be facing any charges, and they have also inquired about the taxpayer cost of the large-scale investigation and search. In response, Sheriff Woods stated that “those items are not off the table at this point.”
No further information was released by MCSO as the investigation is ongoing.