JasonFutchLakeCityFL
Former Member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2011
- Messages
- 586
- Reaction score
- 1,564
DaisyChains, thanks for continuing to contribute to the forum while the updates on the case continue to pour in. I've been keeping a close eye on the progress of this investigation, and it seems that there may be potentially more victims of Ronnie Leon Hyde. In the meantime, we can only hope that more people come forward and also hope that JSO looks into other missing persons cases in the area and attempt to match with a possible connection to Mr. Hyde.
Meanwhile, I did have a great conversation with one of the cousins of Fred Laster a few days ago. While the family is aware that there was a push to make the 1994 case public on our end when we jump started everything in 2011, The main focus is how Fred Laster was identified and how Mr. Hyde was arrested. To be completely clear with everyone, our goal was not to 100% identify the torso or try to identify a suspect, but rather to get the case public so that way someone could come forward to local law-enforcement and see if there was a possible connection to their missing love one and the torso. In the early part of our investigation, we did interviews with radio stations and one news station out of Gainesville, Florida. Those produced little bits of information that was previously not known to the public. If one goes back to this forum, you can see that we had discussed the Camaro that was spotted at the gas station The day Fred Laster was found. We had put that information, as well as other things onto a makeshift flyer that I still have that we created. We emphasized several characteristics of the torso, specifically the mole and the fact that the torso was circumcised. Those were two key characteristics that would be essential to identification, along with the hair that was found on the body. Additionally within the last couple of years we had put the bath mats on the flyer, and then when the checkered shirt was made public a couple of years ago, we also included that. And then throughout the investigation, and before Murphy Tire took over the building, my team would frequent the area to look for any other clues. We would also take updated pictures of the area, so that way our audience had an idea of what we were working with. With that said, that was a lot of hard work put into the investigation on our end.
Granted, we were able to bring public awareness to the case, the sheriffs office in Columbia County as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, did more to further identify the torso and make sure that there was justice as well at the same time. The sheriffs office had more to work with, while we only had what was available to us at a time through interviews and public information. Overall, I truly do not think we should take credit for alot in this investigation. The big credit goes to law enforcement for a job well done. The big credit goes to law enforcement for killing two birds with one stone.
My big concern is how the missing persons database and the unidentified person's network is flawed. Because of the miscommunication between Jacksonville sheriffs office and how divided law enforcement was back in the day, I do believe that Freddy Laster could've been identified way sooner. When the family said that he was last seen with Mr. Hyde, that should've raised red flags all over to begin with. If JSO had acted that day the family reported Freddy missing, I have a feeling that justice could've been served way sooner. Instead, law-enforcement allowed a pervert to walk around Jacksonville and fly all over the country and all over the world to victimize more children. Why did The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office take so long to examine what they had? Another reason why I give huge kudos to the sheriff Mark Hunter and the Columbia County Sheriffs Office on getting this case resolved!
With that said, concluding this before I take any questions or respond to any post, I do intend to be present at the trial of Mr. Hyde if he pleads not guilty he and takes this thing to trial. I want to be there to bear witness. I will get me a first class ticket from Portland, Oregon to Florida to make sure that justice has been served in this case. As you guys are all aware, Freddy was like a brother to me, but unfortunately through this case. I worked on investigating this case through a sleuth point of you since 2010, and that whole time I began to build an emotional bond with this person. Something told me within the next 10 years, this case would be solved and I am happy to see that it has been. So with that, I will plan to be there.
Meanwhile, I did have a great conversation with one of the cousins of Fred Laster a few days ago. While the family is aware that there was a push to make the 1994 case public on our end when we jump started everything in 2011, The main focus is how Fred Laster was identified and how Mr. Hyde was arrested. To be completely clear with everyone, our goal was not to 100% identify the torso or try to identify a suspect, but rather to get the case public so that way someone could come forward to local law-enforcement and see if there was a possible connection to their missing love one and the torso. In the early part of our investigation, we did interviews with radio stations and one news station out of Gainesville, Florida. Those produced little bits of information that was previously not known to the public. If one goes back to this forum, you can see that we had discussed the Camaro that was spotted at the gas station The day Fred Laster was found. We had put that information, as well as other things onto a makeshift flyer that I still have that we created. We emphasized several characteristics of the torso, specifically the mole and the fact that the torso was circumcised. Those were two key characteristics that would be essential to identification, along with the hair that was found on the body. Additionally within the last couple of years we had put the bath mats on the flyer, and then when the checkered shirt was made public a couple of years ago, we also included that. And then throughout the investigation, and before Murphy Tire took over the building, my team would frequent the area to look for any other clues. We would also take updated pictures of the area, so that way our audience had an idea of what we were working with. With that said, that was a lot of hard work put into the investigation on our end.
Granted, we were able to bring public awareness to the case, the sheriffs office in Columbia County as well as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, did more to further identify the torso and make sure that there was justice as well at the same time. The sheriffs office had more to work with, while we only had what was available to us at a time through interviews and public information. Overall, I truly do not think we should take credit for alot in this investigation. The big credit goes to law enforcement for a job well done. The big credit goes to law enforcement for killing two birds with one stone.
My big concern is how the missing persons database and the unidentified person's network is flawed. Because of the miscommunication between Jacksonville sheriffs office and how divided law enforcement was back in the day, I do believe that Freddy Laster could've been identified way sooner. When the family said that he was last seen with Mr. Hyde, that should've raised red flags all over to begin with. If JSO had acted that day the family reported Freddy missing, I have a feeling that justice could've been served way sooner. Instead, law-enforcement allowed a pervert to walk around Jacksonville and fly all over the country and all over the world to victimize more children. Why did The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office take so long to examine what they had? Another reason why I give huge kudos to the sheriff Mark Hunter and the Columbia County Sheriffs Office on getting this case resolved!
With that said, concluding this before I take any questions or respond to any post, I do intend to be present at the trial of Mr. Hyde if he pleads not guilty he and takes this thing to trial. I want to be there to bear witness. I will get me a first class ticket from Portland, Oregon to Florida to make sure that justice has been served in this case. As you guys are all aware, Freddy was like a brother to me, but unfortunately through this case. I worked on investigating this case through a sleuth point of you since 2010, and that whole time I began to build an emotional bond with this person. Something told me within the next 10 years, this case would be solved and I am happy to see that it has been. So with that, I will plan to be there.
