http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/...inner39s_friend_a_39person_of_interest39.html
Missing Lotto Winner's Friend A 'Person Of Interest'
Wednesday, January 06, 2010 6:44:36 PM
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POLK COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- The Polk County Sheriff's Office is considering a friend of a missing lottery winner a 'person of interest' in the case. Abraham Shakespeare won $30 million in the Florida lottery in 2006.
His mother, Elizabeth Walker, hasn't seen him in nearly a year.
"Abraham is my son," she said. "I love him and I got to be concerned and think about him every day."
The sheriff's office originally thought he ran off with his money. Sheriff Grady Judd says investigators now think the worst.
"We're leaning to the fact that he met an untimely death and the motives and circumstances surrounding it seem sinister," Judd said.
The sheriff's office is now calling one of Shakespeare's friends a "person of interest" in the case.
"She has offered at least one person a several hundred thousand dollar house if they would make false sightings of Abraham," he said.
Judd says the woman put all of Shakespeare's assets in her name and has used the missing millionaire's cell phone to call and send text messages to his family and friends.
"As our homicide detectives and missing persons detectives dig in on this, the longer that we investigate, the more suspicious we get," he said.
As their suspicion grows, Shakespeare's mom says she wants some answers.
"If I never see my son again, I do know there is a God up above who sees all things and he will take care of this," she said.
The sheriff's office is now making a public plea for information. It's also offering a $10,000 cash reward for anyone who can lead investigators to Shakespeare.
Information from Central Florida News 13's Bright House Networks affiliate Bay News 9 was used in this report.
