FL - Ryan Rogers, 14, fatally stabbed, Palm Beach Gardens, 16 Nov 2021 *Arrest*

[kinder]

Ryan reportedly went for a bike ride at 6:40 p.m. ET on Monday, 15 November 2021 and did not return home. The following morning, Tuesday, 16 November 2021, his body was found in the woods near a bike bath on the northbound side of Central Blvd, adjacent to an overpass for Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The distance from his home was 2 miles and approximately 10 minutes by bike, according to Google Maps. On Saturday, 20 November 2021, police issued a release stating Ryan's death was ruled a homicide.

Palm Beach Gardens police ask anyone with information about the homicide to call 561-799-4445.

Police Press Release:
https://twitter.com/PBGPD/status/1462109968354746376/photo/1

Palm Beach Post:
Ryan Rogers' death ruled a homicide, Gardens police say

<modsnip - social media screenshots not permitted>

WPTV helicopter footage of the investigation into the discovery of Ryan's body on 16 November 2021:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=632251057815750

<modsnip - no fund raiser links permitted>

Memorial Service:
Ryan Rogers Obituary - North Palm Beach, FL

 

[kinder]

Location of where Ryan's body and bike were found on Tuesday, 16 November 2021 (Google Map coordinates):
Google Maps

Ryan reportedly began his bike ride from his home near the community clubhouse (Club Alton) at 6:40 p.m. ET on Monday, 15 November 2021:
Google Maps

Central Blvd. where his body was found does not have any street lights, and at 6:40 p.m. ET when he reportedly departed for the bike ride, it would have been dark with no signs of sunlight. That stretch of road is VERY dark at night.

During daylight hours, it is common to see runners, walkers, bicyclists and golf carts on Central Blvd.

The building immediately south of where Ryan was found is a maintenance building for the Old Palm Golf Club.

Police have stated that Ryan's death was not the result of a "traffic-related collision," but it is not clear if "traffic-related" rules out a collision with a golf cart (purely speculation). Police are not yet stating the exact cause of death.

<modsnip - info/rumors from social media not allowed>

 

[Cuoco7]

I just spent 3 weeks in this area and felt very safe, off on my own in nature reserves a lot of the time. What happened? Who would do this and why?

 

[kinder]

En Español:
Investigan como un asesinato la muerte del joven encontrado en la autopista

 

[kinder]

<modsnip - unconfirmed info not allowed>

Street View of the area where Ryan was found. Note the image was captured in February 2021, according to Google:
Google Maps

Alternate angle:
Google Maps

 

[PayrollNerd]

I wonder if this was a crime of opportunity. At 14, I believe Ryan would have had some idea of situational awareness and not intentionally put himself in danger. What a sad loss.

Ryan Rogers: What we know about the death of the missing Palm Beach teen

On Saturday, Palm Beach Gardens police declared Ryan Rogers' death to be a homicide. They did not disclose a cause of death, but did say he was not killed in a traffic-related collision. Police say they are awaiting results from an autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner.

 

[wildebeest]

Living in the area, I thought it odd this young man would head out after dark on a school night, on a bicycle. It’s a heavily traveled road, so hoping someone saw something and will come forward.

 

[j_in_c]

Oh no. I saw the news story early last week but noted the school called it a tragic accident and assumed we would not hear more. I hope this is solved quickly

 

[kinder]

En Español:
Un niño de 14 años muere en extrañas circunstancias en Palm Beach

 

[kinder]

Interesting nugget in this story from WPBF:
Police: Death of local 14-year-old boy ruled a homicide

"Palm Beach Gardens Police spokesperson Major Paul Rogers tells WPBF 25 News someone in the community knows something regarding the homicide of the teenager."

This could mean police have reason to believe there was an accomplice or witness.

Speculation, Ryan could have been struck by a projectile launched from the passenger side of a passing vehicle, which would imply at least a driver and a passenger in the vehicle. Again, only speculating.

 

[SweetCrabs]

This story is on the minds of many people around town. Everyone has their theories, as LE have not revealed much beyond his death being ruled a homicide. A few theories I've heard include:

1. Speculation that he and his bike could have been placed there. Just because Ryan was found in the woods near the bike path doesn't necessarily mean he died there.
2. Speculation that it could have been pre-meditated because there were presumably people that knew he would be riding his bike that way to meet friends to play basketball.
3. Speculation that Ryan was at the wrong place at the wrong time and that the act was totally random.

 

[kinder]

Palm Beach Gardens parents want info in Ryan Rogers' homicide

I think that if you are a parent with a child or teenager, you should remind your kids to be careful online. It's easy enough for a stranger to pretend to be a love interest of similar age as their target, and deceptively tug at the heart strings of an innocent young person. A predator can cultivate this kind of relationship for months with an unsuspecting child or teen. Young people need to be reminded not to fall for these schemes.

 

[kinder]

I wonder if this was a crime of opportunity. At 14, I believe Ryan would have had some idea of situational awareness and not intentionally put himself in danger. What a sad loss.

Ryan Rogers: What we know about the death of the missing Palm Beach teen

On Saturday, Palm Beach Gardens police declared Ryan Rogers' death to be a homicide. They did not disclose a cause of death, but did say he was not killed in a traffic-related collision. Police say they are awaiting results from an autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner.

I agree with you on this.

 

[Jon KIng]

We live a half mile from where he was found and know the area well. Makes no sense that he was going to play basketball at that park. It was dark Monday night at 6:40 when his mother said he left. In 10 years driving Central Blvd thousands of times, never seen anyone on a bike in the dark. He would have crossed 2 major intersections, Hood Rood, then Central Blvd. 100s of people would have seen a kid on a bike as he would stick out like a sore thumb. There just are no bikes on that road after dark, ever. Where his body was found is well traveled until about 11 pm. No way he was killed there at around 7 pm, the time it would take to get to that spot from his house. 100s and 100s of cars would be going by that spot.

If we had seen him on his bike in the dark along Central Blvd he would have literally been the first person we ever saw doing that in the 10 years we have lived here. So that part of the scenario really boggles the imagination.

We used the tennis courts at North County Regional park Monday night from 7-8 pm. There were no kids playing basketball, we walked right past the courts.

<modsnip - discussing someone who has not been named by LE as a suspect or POI>

The police have issued no warnings to parents in the area. There are 2 schools, a huge park with 10 soccer fields, common sense says they are not concerned a random killer is loose. There are lots of cameras in Alton where he lives so police will be able to review footage to see when or if he left on his bike.

But I highly doubt he rode his bike there Monday evening. And I highly doubt he died at that spot Monday evening. Way too many cars. Its more logical that he died somewhere else and the body and bike taken there after traffic calms down. That road is deserted from midnight-5am.

 

[Jon KIng]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed for posting info without substantiating MSM or LE links>

We live in Bent Tree, next to the park. used the tennis courts at the park Monday evening, no kids were playing basketball. The only times kids that age are ever playing basketball is on weekends during the day or at times during the summer. A few times we have seen them right after school. But never at 7 pm on weeknights. We travel Central daily for 10 years. Never seen anyone riding a bike along that rode in the dark. It does not make sense that a 14 year old would ride a bike in the dark on a school night from Alton to that park. He would have had to then ride home at 9 pm, again never seen anyone ever is on that sidewalk that time of night. We play tennis 4-5 times per week there, evenings and weekends. There simply are no young people under 20 there weekday evenings during school time. So he would have had no one to meet at that park on that Monday evening. And the park is well patrolled, no one hangs out there once it closes. So the trip to the park angle does not seem viable.

In fact, if you look at the timeline, the park theory falls apart. If he left at 6:40 pm he would get to the park at around 7 pm. If he did not return home, his mother calls the police and says "my son went to the park on his bike to play basketball and did not come home".

There is only one route he could have taken on his bike. His body and bike were seen from the sidewalk but not until 9 am the next morning. Common sense says if mom tells police he was going to the park, they walk or ride along his route on Central Blvd and would have found his body that night instead of the next morning. And certainly they would have found it before 9 am. Its simply not that hard an area to search and from where the helicopters showed the police tent and searchers, it was right next to the road, not in the woods. So his body was easily spotted from the sidewalk.

 

[kinder]

Makes no sense that he was going to play basketball at that park.

I tend to agree with you as I think about it more. North County park seemed like the logical choice based on where he was found and appeared to be headed but I as an adult would be afraid to ride a bike there at night so I'm now sure Ryan would be, too. We need clarity from mom on what court he was to play at. It might make more sense that he was to meet someone at Dwyer H.S. basketball courts, which are much closer to his home. <modsnip - no link for info posted as fact about TV report>

 

[kinder]

There is only one route he could have taken on his bike. His body and bike were seen from the sidewalk but not until 9 am the next morning. Common sense says if mom tells police he was going to the park, they walk or ride along his route on Central Blvd and would have found his body that night instead of the next morning. And certainly they would have found it before 9 am. Its simply not that hard an area to search and from where the helicopters showed the police tent and searchers, it was right next to the road, not in the woods. So his body was easily spotted from the sidewalk.

I believe his body and bike were found in the woods. Surely before 9 a.m. a jogger or bike rider or even a car passing by would see a boy and bike laying on the grass next to the path.

"Police told WPBF 25 News Investigative Reporter Terri Parker [that] Rogers' body was not found on the thin strip of grass along the sidewalk. When Parker asked if he was found down the wooded embankment, a police spokesman said he could not confirm nor deny it."

Source:
Palm Beach Gardens parents want info in Ryan Rogers' homicide

 

[evilwise]

Living in the area, I thought it odd this young man would head out after dark on a school night, on a bicycle. It’s a heavily traveled road, so hoping someone saw something and will come forward.

I don't live in the area but this was also my initial thought. It seems to me that Ryan probably set with the intention of meeting someone for some reason he didn't want his presents to know and I don't think it was some random person on the internet baiting him by pretending to be a potential love interest. It may have been a real girl he knew baiting him for guys to attack him or it may have been some kind of a social thing with people he wasn't supposed to be hanging out with i.e. gang related. He doesn't read as the kind of kid who would be trying to undergo a gang initiation or run afoul of a gang but you can't make assumptions. He might have been trying to make an illicit purchase and gotten robbed too.

Whatever the circumstances hopefully a review of his phone will quickly establish a suspect/suspects or in the unlikely event it doesn't, that information will come from his classmates. The worst case scenario would be if he took a medium to large amount of money with him and approached strangers asking to make a transaction. Young people need to be aware how dangerous this is. Criminals have a nose for easy victims and are aware of situations in which there is no "paper trail".

 

[Cle2002]

While that area is very, very dark, I don’t think it’s so crazy to think that he was going there to play basketball. I have a child the same age and wouldn’t have worried too much (prior to this) about him riding his bike almost anywhere in this area…. I don’t think we can rule it out - maybe the cops can, but they haven’t told us that yet

 

[kinder]

Parents in the area should be aware of registered sexual predators and offenders.
I am shocked to see someone so close to the area registered in the last few weeks. Zip code 33418

FDLE - Sexual Offender and Predator System