FL FL - Laralee Spear, 15, DeLand, 25 April 1994

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I have a friend who lived on Deerfoot at the time of this murder with her husband and three sons. Today I messaged the middle son and asked him if he remembered this. Their house was halfway between Laralees house and Spring Garden Ranch Rd. Here was his resonse: "That was the day my Mom was getting rid of the Dalmatian my Dad had bought her and we had to walk home. Our bus was the one right before the high school bus! I remember it like it was yesterday! It was the first time in my life that I realized not everyone was a good person" It's amazing how many people are affected when these crimes happen. I can't imagine the fear it put into the families close by. He now lives on the next parallel street to Deerfoot and has his own two children.
 
Tomorrow night (Friday, June 21st) at 6 PM Eastern, on Merit Track live stream, Nancy Grace will interview the sheriff in LaraLee Spear's case as well as Sheryl McCollum and Paul Holes. The link below takes you to register for Merit Track
https://tinyurl.com/34d9xyc4Sheryl McCollum Zone 7 Podcasthttps://tinyurl.com/4h6zn6b3Laralee Spear's Zone 7 podcasts
 
Laralee-Spear.jpg

Laralee Spear, 15, in her freshman year at DeLand High School, is over the moon after learning she has made the Junior Varsity cheer squad
www.crimeonline.com

CHEERLEADER, 15, KIDNAPPED, MURDERED FROM SCHOOL BUS: WHO KILLED LARALEE?

CRIME Stories with Nancy Grace
www.crimeonline.com www.crimeonline.com
 
Until this week, I had never heard of the case of Laralee Spear. But thanks to Sheryl McCollum, Tricia Griffith, & Nancy Grace, I've read everything about this case that I could get my hands on the past 36 hours. Based on the information I've managed to dig up, I have several thoughts & questions. Not sure if any of them will help the case, but you never know what can be the spark needed. So here's what I have:

1. What led the Spears family to move from the Winter Park/Oviedo area to DeLand? It seems like a critical time in their girl's lives (middle & high school age). Typically that is not a time when families choose to voluntarily switch schools, if there's not a big reason to do so. If it was for a job, the distance between the towns doesn't seem all that far for commuting, so I was just curious if there was something more at play here. Not at all saying there was; it would just be helpful to better understand the circumstances for them choosing to move to DeLand at that time.
2. Similar to the question about moving to DeLand, it also seems like the family may have changed religious denominations at the time too. From what I have read, Laralee attended St Luke's Lutheran Church & School for many years prior to 1993. In the 1993 school year, she left St Luke's to attend Oviedo HS. Then the family moved to DeLand in Sept of 1993. Once they got to DeLand, they began attending the Sanctuary Church of God. Information regarding the Sanctuary Church of God at that time is very limited, but my experience is that Churches of God tend to be substantially more charismatic than a traditional Lutheran denomination. If that is indeed the case, then that seems like a significant lifestyle/religion change. So it makes me wonder -- WHY such a huge change?
3. The Youth Minister at the Sanctuary Church of God in 1994, Bill Cloud, gave many interviews about Laralee in the early days and years of this case. Considering the short time Laralee & the Spear family had attended the church, it is curious that he was sort of the "go-to" person whenever the media wanted a quote about Laralee.
4. Had Laralee "caught the eye" of someone either in Oviedo or in DeLand? The Orlando Sentinel said that Barbara Spear believed that in the days/weeks before her death, someone may have been following Laralee.
5. One report stated that there was something written on Laralee's RIGHT hand when she was found. It was mostly illegible, but it is possible that one of the words looked like "keith". Does Laralee's friend, Carolyn, or her bus mate, Christy, recall seeing that in the hour before her death? Both of those girls reported speaking to her. Did they see the writing on her hand?
6. The girl on the bus, Christy, told investigators that she saw a black truck following the bus. Others also reported seeing a newer model, black FORD truck, possibly with running boards. A description of the person in the truck was a young, white male, with sandy blond hair below his ears. That was immediately after the murder. In OCTOBER of 1994, however, the description and a photo sketch was printed in the Sentinel and the description had changed. The man is described as someone more slovenly and with darker, longer hair. Why? This needs to be revisited.
7. Within days of Bobby Allen Raleigh being indicted for Laralee's murder, the Orlando Sentinel received an anonymous phone call from someone who said that "a group of men" killed her.
8. The sexual assault description is vague. Several times I've heard/read it described as molestation and/or assault, but never rape. It is as if it is being implied that the attacker was not successful in his attempt to have sex with her. Sure it could be that he was unable to perform, but maybe it could be that Laralee fought back. Her hands were tied, but her legs/feet were NOT. It is possible that she kicked him in the groin and ended that part of the attack. Such an action would most definitely have angered him. Perhaps THAT was the reason he shot her.
9. If he was a stranger to Laralee, it is very likely that he needed only to show her the gun as she walked down the road to get her to hop in the car with him and comply.
10. A few days after the murder, two juveniles (16 & 14) hit and then dragged a Volusia Co Sheriff's deputy with a stolen car. The deputy had been out canvasing the area & talking to neighbors to see if anyone had seen anything, particularly the black truck. Both were arrested. The 16 yr old was William Hinson III. The 14 yr old was not named because of his age. According to the report, Hinson had sandy brown/blond hair.
11. The burned out home is an especially intriguing element of this case. It would be interesting to know the circumstances that led to the home burning down and who owned the property at the time of Laralee's murder.
12. It would also be interesting to know how much investigators delved into similar cases in the months and years, both before AND after the murder. For example, there was a case in December of 1994 where a very young girl was taken from her home overnight through a bedroom window. She was sexually assaulted and then returned to the home. The mother had no idea anyone had been in the home. She began asking questions when she noticed small drops of blood on the child's clothes & bedsheets. The daughter told her a man pointed a gun at her and told her to come with him. He took her to a nearby park, assaulted her, and then returned her to the bedroom and told her not to tell anyone. That was in Edgewood, FL, about 7 months after Laralee's death.

That's all I have for the moment. Again, not sure if any of it will help. Just offering it up and hoping that it leads somewhere.
 
onthelookout said:
Until this week, I had never heard of the case of Laralee Spear. But thanks to Sheryl McCollum, Tricia Griffith, & Nancy Grace, I've read everything about this case that I could get my hands on the past 36 hours. Based on the information I've managed to dig up, I have several thoughts & questions. Not sure if any of them will help the case, but you never know what can be the spark needed. So here's what I have:

1. What led the Spears family to move from the Winter Park/Oviedo area to DeLand? It seems like a critical time in their girl's lives (middle & high school age). Typically that is not a time when families choose to voluntarily switch schools, if there's not a big reason to do so. If it was for a job, the distance between the towns doesn't seem all that far for commuting, so I was just curious if there was something more at play here. Not at all saying there was; it would just be helpful to better understand the circumstances for them choosing to move to DeLand at that time.
2. Similar to the question about moving to DeLand, it also seems like the family may have changed religious denominations at the time too. From what I have read, Laralee attended St Luke's Lutheran Church & School for many years prior to 1993. In the 1993 school year, she left St Luke's to attend Oviedo HS. Then the family moved to DeLand in Sept of 1993. Once they got to DeLand, they began attending the Sanctuary Church of God. Information regarding the Sanctuary Church of God at that time is very limited, but my experience is that Churches of God tend to be substantially more charismatic than a traditional Lutheran denomination. If that is indeed the case, then that seems like a significant lifestyle/religion change. So it makes me wonder -- WHY such a huge change?
3. The Youth Minister at the Sanctuary Church of God in 1994, Bill Cloud, gave many interviews about Laralee in the early days and years of this case. Considering the short time Laralee & the Spear family had attended the church, it is curious that he was sort of the "go-to" person whenever the media wanted a quote about Laralee.
4. Had Laralee "caught the eye" of someone either in Oviedo or in DeLand? The Orlando Sentinel said that Barbara Spear believed that in the days/weeks before her death, someone may have been following Laralee.
5. One report stated that there was something written on Laralee's RIGHT hand when she was found. It was mostly illegible, but it is possible that one of the words looked like "keith". Does Laralee's friend, Carolyn, or her bus mate, Christy, recall seeing that in the hour before her death? Both of those girls reported speaking to her. Did they see the writing on her hand?
6. The girl on the bus, Christy, told investigators that she saw a black truck following the bus. Others also reported seeing a newer model, black FORD truck, possibly with running boards. A description of the person in the truck was a young, white male, with sandy blond hair below his ears. That was immediately after the murder. In OCTOBER of 1994, however, the description and a photo sketch was printed in the Sentinel and the description had changed. The man is described as someone more slovenly and with darker, longer hair. Why? This needs to be revisited.
7. Within days of Bobby Allen Raleigh being indicted for Laralee's murder, the Orlando Sentinel received an anonymous phone call from someone who said that "a group of men" killed her.
8. The sexual assault description is vague. Several times I've heard/read it described as molestation and/or assault, but never rape. It is as if it is being implied that the attacker was not successful in his attempt to have sex with her. Sure it could be that he was unable to perform, but maybe it could be that Laralee fought back. Her hands were tied, but her legs/feet were NOT. It is possible that she kicked him in the groin and ended that part of the attack. Such an action would most definitely have angered him. Perhaps THAT was the reason he shot her.
9. If he was a stranger to Laralee, it is very likely that he needed only to show her the gun as she walked down the road to get her to hop in the car with him and comply.
10. A few days after the murder, two juveniles (16 & 14) hit and then dragged a Volusia Co Sheriff's deputy with a stolen car. The deputy had been out canvasing the area & talking to neighbors to see if anyone had seen anything, particularly the black truck. Both were arrested. The 16 yr old was William Hinson III. The 14 yr old was not named because of his age. According to the report, Hinson had sandy brown/blond hair.
11. The burned out home is an especially intriguing element of this case. It would be interesting to know the circumstances that led to the home burning down and who owned the property at the time of Laralee's murder.
12. It would also be interesting to know how much investigators delved into similar cases in the months and years, both before AND after the murder. For example, there was a case in December of 1994 where a very young girl was taken from her home overnight through a bedroom window. She was sexually assaulted and then returned to the home. The mother had no idea anyone had been in the home. She began asking questions when she noticed small drops of blood on the child's clothes & bedsheets. The daughter told her a man pointed a gun at her and told her to come with him. He took her to a nearby park, assaulted her, and then returned her to the bedroom and told her not to tell anyone. That was in Edgewood, FL, about 7 months after Laralee's death.

That's all I have for the moment. Again, not sure if any of it will help. Just offering it up and hoping that it leads somewhere.
Click to expand...
Winter Park and Oviedo are not the same area. If it was Winter Park to DeLand that's quite a different in lifestyle. Winter Park is a more upscale area. DeLand at that time was a small old area that would have been way cheaper to purchase a home in. Could have been a job change for Dad?
 
PaulaDC said:
Winter Park and Oviedo are not the same area. If it was Winter Park to DeLand that's quite a different in lifestyle. Winter Park is a more upscale area. DeLand at that time was a small old area that would have been way cheaper to purchase a home in. Could have been a job change for Dad?
Click to expand...
They had been in Winter Park and then Oviedo, I believe. At least that's what the article implied the order was.
 
www.clickorlando.com

$100K reward offered for info leading to arrest in 1994 Volusia murder case

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood says the reward has doubled for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever killed 15-year-old Laralee Spear in 1994.
www.clickorlando.com www.clickorlando.com
: June 23, 2024
''A cash reward of $100,000 is now being offered for this information, the final piece of the puzzle that investigators have sought now for 30 years.''
1719160346842.png
 
Dave, our amazing IT guy will be posting a picture of evidence found at the scene sent to us from Detective Lamay. It may not have anything to do with the murder but it might.
It is a picture of a tag of some sort. Dave will be posting the pictures in the next day or so. See if you can figure out what it is you are looking at. You just might help solve LaraLee's murder.
Thank you,
Tricia
 
There used to be a Belk Lindseys close to that location back then. It's so built up since that time period. Honestly I don't remember anti theft tags being around back then but in my head the first ones I recall had silver backs. I wish that picture was better because there is more writing on that tag.
 
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