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

[PaulaDC]

Looks like a tag from bealls

They were in Deland also.

 

[PaulaDC]

They were in Deland also.

Here's the plaza that held Bealls and for a short time Goodings. I know when we moved here there was nothing open late at night and if you needed medicine the Eckerd was the only pharmacy open late. Bealls did do a lot of clearance.

They were in Deland also.

They were in Deland also.

 

[Tintenbar]

Bobby Allen Raleigh, at one point suspected to have commit the murder, owned a vehicle — a dark truck — like one that was seen near where Spear’s body was found. Raleigh was also thought to have, according to then-State Attorney Steve Alexander, an obsession with members of the DeLand High School junior varsity cheerleading squad, of which Spear became a member shortly before she was killed.[...] Other individuals who members of the public suspected may have been involved in Spear’s killing included the Ridgeway brothers, Ronald and Geoffrey, who were involved in other murders in West Volusia. The Ridgeways and Bobby Allen Raleigh all had ties to crimes involving Club Europe, a Downtown DeLand nightclub, formerly at 225 W. New York Ave.

in Who killed Laralee Spear? 27-year-old cold case murder continues to haunt DeLand - The West Volusia Beacon

 

[PaulaDC]

in Who killed Laralee Spear? 27-year-old cold case murder continues to haunt DeLand - The West Volusia Beacon

Good article by The Beacon.

 

[OnlyS]

I have been playing with the label on my iPhone, but realise that there are people better on here at this than me and it does feel a bit like an ink blot test as I am sure others will see different things in the images.
On the bottom right, I see a little head that looks like Groot. Next up is a little alien with a pointy face and bent antennae, then up in the top left looks like a little man… possible throwing something into a bin.
Across the middle is the wording that some of us are seeing which is either Sale or Love.
The could be transfer from other things or just splodges that my eye is trying to make some sense of. Let me know what you think.
Edited to add, this is all in my opinion and own interpretation.

 

[GRT]

The first one seems to be a price tag. I think I see "OUR PRICE" written on the lower half.

Yes, the green one says OUR PRICE.

 

[Tintenbar]

Episode of the Crime Roundup with Nancy Grace and Cheryl McCollum. Here are the interesting passages :

Speaker 1 : Her mama said she could set a clock by this child. If she said she's going to be home at one o'clock, she's hitting that door at one o'clock. Well, from the school bus stop (South Spring Garden Avenue) where they would drop her off was a straight shot to her house.
The road is straight as an era. I mean it's got some trees and some coverage. But she didn't have to get off that main road, you know, Deerfoot. [...] She had an older sister that wasn't on the bus anymore, she had graduated, and then a younger sister that took another bus because she was still in middle school that day. Laura Lee was the only kid on her street that was in high school that was on that bus. So she got off by herself. Several people saw her. The bus driver saw her start walking. There was a couple that was selling plants kind of at the intersection. They saw her and then nothing. (...)
This child was a to b. That bus dropped her off. She was in her house within ten minutes the only time that was not the case, she stopped at a neighbor's that she passes that had horses and was petting the horses, and her mama called that neighbor and said, Hey, it's Laura Lee down there. She said, yeah, ain't say here, she's petting the horses. And then she got home. So literally, within ten minutes, mama was already calling neighbors to Belusia County Sheriff's Department. Credit when Mama calls, they send deputies immediately.
When they can't find her in a reasonable amount of time, they put a helicopter in the air. The helicopter is the one that saw her. Now, when I was there, this is the part that just punched me in the gut. I drive from the bus stop to the crime scene. In order to get to the crime scene A to B you have to pass her house. So literally, this killer grabs her and drives her past her house. (...)
Now where it was, there was a home burned to the ground a year prior, and nobody rebuilt. They just kept it that way. So it was known to some of the local kids, and they would go there and drink and smoke and carry on. So it was known to a group of young people. (...)
What also stuck out for me was where the house was built is like encased in trees. I mean it's secluded.
Nobody would have seen you in there.
Speaker 2 : There was not someone just driving by and they see Laureley and go, oh, let me grab
her and murder her, shoot her multiple times, and leave her lying out at this vacant house. Now crime scene. Okay, what can we get to the black truck the lowriderm H.
So what I'm saying is the person had to know that the school bus let out at that spot at that time. I don't think that they were just driving by and see her and grab her. I don't know. I don't buy into that theory.
Speaker 1: Agreed, And a passer buyer would not have known about this house. You can't see it from the road. You have to know it's there.
Speaker 2 : Yeah, and you know what, there's a really great aerial video. I've been looking at the house. It is totally surrounded by trees. You're right. So this is somebody that knows about the house, and that knows about the bus stop and knows what time the children get off the bus stop,because you know, some some children don't get off until four point thirty, believe it or not. Some get off early too. You've got to know. But if he's willing to wait and the trees gave him a perfect cover.
Speaker 1 : Absolutely. And it's interesting you brought that up because we went back to her house so that I could really from the street level. Her bedroom was on the second floor, in the front of the house. From my car, not
even getting out of my car, you could see her bedroom window plain as day. (...) So I was trying to figure out where did this killer have stood or driven to have a watch point of her. It was so easy.
There's a road that goes straight out in front of her driveway down another way. He could have come from that direction, He could have driven straight past. But to your point, if he followed her just for a day or two, or was a neighbor, or was somebody closed, he might even know. Hey, she's the only kid that gets off the school bus.
Speaker 2 : You know what's interesting. Well, everything's interesting, but so many details and details matter. Cheryl, her hands were tied, some of her clothing most of it missing. It seemed like someone had attempted to sex assault her, but to shoot her multiple times in the back of the head to have the necessary supply to tie her up. Somebody came prepared. Again, this was not random. Who knows a fifteen year old girl who in her circle. It doesn't have to be her immediate circle, such as a parent or a brother or an uncle. You go a step beyond that, to teachers, to people at the grocery store, to pizza delivery guys, to the custodian, to the creepydoote at the church. That's where you go that next step. This is somebody that knew her and wanted to rape her. When I believe when she fought back that he killed her and ran.
Speaker 1 : Another reason I think the person was on the younger side, like under twenty five, to shoot her, not strangle her, not hearing the head of the rock, but to shoot her multiple times up the wrist of somebody hearing it, somebody being close by and going to see what the world's going on. To your point, he came with a loaded weapon. He came murder ready. The biggest thing to me is the burned out house. A stranger, a passer buyer, a transient would not have known that place was there.
This person did. So the suspect pool for me shrinks pretty good.
Speaker 2 : Well, how much credence do you give to the lowrider black truck.
Speaker 1 : If it was only one witness? Maybe not that much. But more than one witness saw it and described it independently. So there was a truck there that was dark in color. So I would you add it to my sheet, and I would start looking again at neighbors, people a street or two over, somebody at that high school that maybe graduated the year before, maybe dropped out the year before.
People know that trunk. (...) Read more at the following link.

6.21.24 CRU with Nancy Grace: What Happened To Laralee Spear? - Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum | iHeart

<p>Nancy and Sheryl open today’s CRU by discussing the importance of crime scene visits in prosecutorial work. Nancy recounts a memorable case involving a young boy murdered over a drug debt. Sheryl shares her experiences walking crime scenes with Nancy, highlighting the importance of...

www.iheart.com

 

[truthfinder2019]

I also see “Love” or “LOJE” or “Jose”. This could be handwriting.
and “OUR PRICE”
For the second image, if you flip it to coincide with the other, on the right top corner I read “970” or “976”

 

[truthfinder2019]

I also see “Love” or “LOJE” or “Jose”. This could be handwriting.
and “OUR PRICE”
For the second image, if you flip it to coincide with the other, on the right top corner I read “970” or “976”

Could also be “Save”

 

[dotr]

Sep 4 '24

Volusia Sheriff's Office asks FDLE for help with solving Laralee Spear's 30-year-old murder

FDLE said it will review investigative and evidentiary leads that can help solve Laralee Spear’s 30-year-old murder.

www.news-journalonline.com

'The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Wednesday said it is joining the Volusia Sheriff's Office in its efforts to find who killed Laralee Spear, a DeLand High School student murdered shortly after she got off a school bus 30 years ago.

The sheriff's office in June increased the reward for any information that would lead to an arrest in Spear's case to $100,000.'

 

[imstilla.grandma]

FDLE Orlando Special Agent in Charge Felipe Williams said, “This case has been unsolved for too long. Partnering with VSO allows us to combine resources and expertise, giving us new perspectives and allows us to use modern investigative strategies. Our goal is to generate new leads and solve this case once and for all.”

“We want to let Laralee Spear know she is not forgotten. It is time to tell the truth and bring Laralee peace and closure for her family. We believe someone out there knows something that could help in this investigation. So, we ask, if you know anything, please let us know. Everybody wants to see this case closed,” said VSO Sheriff Chitwood.

$100,000 Reward Offered In 30-Year-Old Florida Cold Case Murder Of Laralee Spear

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Volusia Sheriff's Office (VSO) are collaborating to re-examine the 30-year-old Laralee Spear cold case.

www.tampafp.com

 

[akeats94]

Hello everyone! I have recently been watching "Web of Lies" and that is how I came across this website of internet sleuths and boy am I impressed. I feel an immense sense of curiosity around this case and want to know everything there is to know.

Does anyone have an insteresting theories, clues, ideas, thoughts, etc? It wsa recently the 30th anniversary of this case and I know so many people would love justice served on behalf of Laralee.

 

[Rush4087]

My guess is the only person who knows about this murder is the murderer. I think it is likely that he may have gone on to commit other similar crimes.

I think the black low-rider truck is an important clue. I suspect the person in the truck was simply following the bus to see if any young giri got off who could be easily targeted. I also think it is possible that the driver may have been Hispanic, and that he may have followed the bus on prior occasions. I’m sure LE checked for high school and maybe junior college age students who might’ve owned such a truck.

I personally think the suspect was older than high school age, perhaps in mid 20’s through early 30’s. If LE was unable to ID a similar truck in the Deland area, it may be that the person driving the truck did not reside right in Deland, so maybe it could’ve been a construction worker in town for a job.

Also, it may be an impossible thing to research / investigate now, but if the perp was aware that there was a description of a black low rider truck being put out by LE (and he owned such a truck), he might have tried to 1.) change the truck height back to normal, and/or had the truck repainted (maybe a repair or paint shop would have such a record from say, 1-4 wks after the crime), and/or 2.) quickly sell the vehicle.

If back issues are still available, classified ad magazines in the state of FL like Truck Trader and Car & Truck Trader - and even newspaper classified ads (if they were still being utilized by some FL papers at the time) in the first 3 months after the crime might yield a clue as to who might’ve owned the truck.

Can the bullet(s) markings (if bullets were found) be entered into the relatively newly established LE ballistics database?

I’ve read at least one report that DNA is available. If LS was not sexually assaulted, then I assume that the DNA (again, if there is DNA) was perhaps found on the material used to tie her hands, or on some of her clothing discarded along the Highway. Were her fingernails checked?

I would think that @othram has been made aware of this case, but I haven’t heard them mentioned in the thread.

All jmo

 

[truthfinder2019]

McCollum says detectives have recently discussed possibly re-testing DNA, including the rope the killer used, and with new DNA technology, she believes it could be another key to catching the person who killed Laralee.

"You've got a killer that very well may be walking the streets and that is not okay," said McCollum. "I think justice is coming for Laralee Spears."

Reward increased to $100,000 in 1994 Florida cold case: 'Justice is coming for Laralee'

The Volusia County Sheriff is hoping a big reward for information on a 30-year cold case will help catch the person who killed Laralee Spear.

www.fox35orlando.com

 

[truthfinder2019]

Florida unsolved cold case: Who killed Laralee Spear?

Laralee Spear, a 15-year-old girl at Deland High School, was reported missing by her mother on April 25, 1994, after she got off the school bus and did not return home. Her body was found hours later next to an abandoned, burned house on Deerfoot Road in Volusia County. Police said the teen had...

www.yahoo.com

Florida unsolved cold case: Who killed Laralee Spear?​

WOFL
Thu, September 5, 2024

On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement joined the case to review evidence.

 

[truthfinder2019]

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Laralee Spear — Navigating Advocacy Podcast

On April 25, 1994, aspiring doctor Laralee Spear exited her bus at her usual stop at her usual time never to make it the quarter of a mile up Deerfoot Rd to her home. Within 50 minutes of her drop off her mother had notified authorities. Less than 2 hours after the search began for Laralee, her brut

navigatingadvocacy.com

 

[PaulaDC]

Hello everyone! I have recently been watching "Web of Lies" and that is how I came across this website of internet sleuths and boy am I impressed. I feel an immense sense of curiosity around this case and want to know everything there is to know.

Does anyone have an insteresting theories, clues, ideas, thoughts, etc? It wsa recently the 30th anniversary of this case and I know so many people would love justice served on behalf of Laralee.

I know a family that lived on Deerfoot when this happened. According to my friend there was some shady drug dealing going on in a home close to where the murder took place. I'm sure police scouted out the area at the time so not sure how her suspicion plays into the crime if it does at all. I do know the next day my friend took her kids out of public school and put them in private school and started driving them herself as she was so freaked out over the murder. Her kids were elementary age. That's the only rumors I've heard

 

[CSI1005]

Looks like a price tag. Might I recommend dropping it into Photoshop and reversing the colors or creating a negative? When I was working with latent prints on documents in the lab, that technique was very helpful. Have the image in raw format will give better results than processing a jpeg format though.

 

[CSI1005]

I also see “Love” or “LOJE” or “Jose”. This could be handwriting.
and “OUR PRICE”
For the second image, if you flip it to coincide with the other, on the right top corner I read “970” or “976”

I did some basic enhancements on the images. They’re JPGS of low quality but the first one is definitely a price tag. Looks to me like it is made of some type of thermal reactive paper and was processed with cyanoacrylate (superglue) in a fuming tank for latent prints. I’ve seen that process turn thermal receipt paper gray many times and started using straight powder on things like that to prevent loss of what was printed on it. I would agree with possibly “Love” or something similar on the tag. Unfortunately, without a RAW file or at least the original image, enhancements are going to be limited. I’ll play with them some more and see what I can get.

 

[summergirl1]

If there's enough DNA for genetic genealogy, then that should definitely be pursued to solve this.