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

[jenderson]

From the police today in answer to a request for this information. He was reported missing at 10:30PM.

I’m getting the distinct feeling the police dropped the ball on this one. I’m worried they may have dismissed this mother as “overreacting” and because it was a boy they /LE weren’t as concerned. IMO I don’t think there was any big search the night he was reported missing, and if there had been, I’d think the police would’ve mentioned it by now. IMO they messed this up from the start, which explains why they came back to the scene days later -after ppl have walked all through the area- and collected more evidence or just wanted to give the appearance they were.

 

[SweetCrabs]

Just to add even more questions:
At least once a day someone is reporting sitings of coyotes, bobcats, and other types of carnivorous wildlife. What are the odds a body could be in this location (in or at the edge of a wooded area -which is becoming increasingly rare around here) for 12-15hrs and not have attracted something???
Perhaps the evidence of, or the lack of, is how they’re determining how long he spent in the location he was found.?.
Although, I’m still not clear on where exactly he was found.

The only wildlife that will eat/chew/engage with anything unalive is an alligator. They tend to be diurnal, so they wouldn't be looking for food later at night. The others all have heightened senses and don't eat dead things. They're predators - they eat their kill. And while we see them now and then, they run from humans. Anything is possible, but IMO it's not likely.

 

[SweetCrabs]

I’m getting the distinct feeling the police dropped the ball on this one. I’m worried they may have dismissed this mother as “overreacting” and because it was a boy they /LE weren’t as concerned. IMO I don’t think there was any big search the night he was reported missing, and if there had been, I’d think the police would’ve mentioned it by now. IMO they messed this up from the start, which explains why they came back to the scene days later -after ppl have walked all through the area- and collected more evidence or just wanted to give the appearance they were.

By the time I was up and online on Tuesday morning (by 8ish) a neighborhood search party had been planned and there were missing posts all over local Facebook and we were getting emails. Not from police -- the community had organized. He was found before the search was set to start. I have no idea what police were doing, but there was citizen activity, presumably by his mom and neighbors, overnight or very early Tuesday.

 

[oviedo]

The timing of this alleged bike ride is odd. The location that he'd have to be riding his bike is odd. The messaging is odd.

I think he not only knew his killer, but this person is very close to him.

I feel like I've seen this movie before.

ITA - we wait.....

 

[montana1]

Timeline as we know it:
6:30-9pm asking public for witness accounts
6:39pm left home on bike in all black
Xxxx phone pinged Paloma/Military area
Xxxx posted plea for help from neighbors
10:30pm police were notified
9am search was called off

Am I missing anything?

 

[SweetCrabs]

Timeline as we know it:
6:30-9pm asking public for witness accounts
6:39pm left home on bike in all black
Xxxx phone pinged Paloma/Military area
Xxxx posted plea for help from neighbors
10:30pm police were notified
9am search was called off

Am I missing anything?

There was a plea for help before the police were notified that night? I didn't see anything then (but I don't remember if I was online), but the next morning there were missing posts online and an organized search. He was found by a pedestrian at 9AM.

 

[branmuffin]

The only wildlife that will eat/chew/engage with anything unalive is an alligator. They tend to be diurnal, so they wouldn't be looking for food later at night. The others all have heightened senses and don't eat dead things. They're predators - they eat their kill. And while we see them now and then, they run from humans. Anything is possible, but IMO it's not likely.

Coyotes are scavengers, they eat road kill so they most likely would attempt to scavenge a human body if it presented itself.

 

[jenderson]

Coyotes are scavengers, they eat road kill so they most likely would attempt to scavenge a human body if it presented itself.

Yes, and Crows, vultures, opossums, and many more…all of which we have an abundance of here.

 

[Jon KIng]

I hounded the Palm Beach Gardens Police on Facebook and Twitter until the finally responded to my tweet imploring them to release the time when they were officially notified. As others have said, they said they were called at 10:30 pm. This totally changes EVERYTHING I have thought about this case. This absolutely looks like his mother did everything right and any speculation is wrong. How on earth could they have been called at 10:30 pm and he was found right along the only path to the nearest park where he has played soccer since he was 6 years old? Police have a ton of explaining to do now. What did they do? We got no amber alerts, we would have immediately jumped up and gone looking. Wow, just wow.

 

[Jon KIng]

From the police today in answer to a request for this information. He was reported missing at 10:30PM.

I kept posting on every news site, every facebook, and asked the police numerous times to please tell us when they were called. It was not fair to the family to not say this because it lead to speculation. Did mom call that night? Did mom wait until next morning? The time of the call was critical and thank goodness they finally answered this.

 

[Jon KIng]

I’m getting the distinct feeling the police dropped the ball on this one. I’m worried they may have dismissed this mother as “overreacting” and because it was a boy they /LE weren’t as concerned. IMO I don’t think there was any big search the night he was reported missing, and if there had been, I’d think the police would’ve mentioned it by now. IMO they messed this up from the start, which explains why they came back to the scene days later -after ppl have walked all through the area- and collected more evidence or just wanted to give the appearance they were.

Bingo, I am shocked. They were called at 10:30 pm and nothing, we live right near where he was found. Heard nothing that night. No K9s? No helicopters? None of the many bike patrol officers go up and down the route to his favorite park? His school? He was found easily by a walker at 9 am, his bike was right next to the sidewalk. Palm Beach Gardens police need to hold a press conference and tell the media and public the exact time line of their response and what that response was.

 

[MoeInVA]

Just catching up on this case now. So sad!

MOO: It seems like the police are doing a great job of keeping a lid on the details. It can be difficult to do that in a case with so much community and family interest.
It's very interesting to me that the day after his body was found, the police spokesman said "they are close to ruling out foul play or a hit-and-run..." and then a few days later of course it was deemed to be a homicide and not traffic collision related. It was deemed "a deliberate act."

Questions:

1) Was his phone recovered and if so, where? Could he have been mugged for his phone and/or possibly cash or other valuables by a fellow juvenile?

2) Could they have initially missed a bullet wound?? In 2019, firearms were used in 88% of the homicides of juveniles ages 12–17. Moo: its not that easy to kill a 14 year old boy. And for it to initially not appear to involve foul play?

3) Did they determine that head injuries that initially appeared to be a result of a bike accident could not have come from a bike accident (due to force required etc - or signs of a weapon upon closer inspection, like maybe a baseball bat or a hammer or something?) or were there other internal injuries that initially went undetected that suggested a larger beating on multiple sides of the body that were inconsistent with an accident or collision?

4) Could he have been poisoned?

--

It is certainly interesting that they continue to call for dash cam videos in an expanded area of Central Blvd, but still within the somewhat narrow window of time (considering he was not found until the following morning). It suggests to me that police think that he ended up in the ditch between those hours. I hope that's because they have a pretty good idea who is responsible and that is the window of opportunity.

Snippet:

They are also looking for witnesses who were in the area of Central Boulevard between PGA Boulevard and Donald Ross Road during the evening of Monday, Nov. 15 between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Anyone in the area who witnessed something out of the ordinary should contact police at 561-799-4445.

Officials are also asking people with a dash camera in their vehicle who were traveling through the area to contact investigators.

"No amount of information is too small," a news release from the Palm Beach Gardens police department said.

 

[sk716]

I've followed cases here & there over the years. I can't remember one though where they intentionally withheld COD, etc. I know the reasoning and protocol as discussed many times in this thread, I just personally can't attach this happening with a case I've followed. All that to say, for the Websleuth veterans, the cases that the police keep information to themselves, are they typically one type of perp, or have you seen this occur in all sorts of cases?

Cause of death is often withheld in suspicious death cases until someone is charged. The less the public knows, the easier it is for the suspects to step in it.

 

[SweetCrabs]

Just catching up on this case now. So sad!

MOO: It seems like the police are doing a great job of keeping a lid on the details. It can be difficult to do that in a case with so much community and family interest.
It's very interesting to me that the day after his body was found, the police spokesman said "they are close to ruling out foul play or a hit-and-run..." and then a few days later of course it was deemed to be a homicide and not traffic collision related. It was deemed "a deliberate act."

Questions:

1) Was his phone recovered and if so, where? Could he have been mugged for his phone and/or possibly cash or other valuables by a fellow juvenile?

2) Could they have initially missed a bullet wound?? In 2019, firearms were used in 88% of the homicides of juveniles ages 12–17. Moo: its not that easy to kill a 14 year old boy. And for it to initially not appear to involve foul play?

3) Did they determine that head injuries that initially appeared to be a result of a bike accident could not have come from a bike accident (due to force required etc - or signs of a weapon upon closer inspection, like maybe a baseball bat or a hammer or something?) or were there other internal injuries that initially went undetected that suggested a larger beating on multiple sides of the body that were inconsistent with an accident or collision?

4) Could he have been poisoned?

--

It is certainly interesting that they continue to call for dash cam videos in an expanded area of Central Blvd, but still within the somewhat narrow window of time (considering he was not found until the following morning). It suggests to me that police think that he ended up in the ditch between those hours. I hope that's because they have a pretty good idea who is responsible and that is the window of opportunity.

Snippet:

They are also looking for witnesses who were in the area of Central Boulevard between PGA Boulevard and Donald Ross Road during the evening of Monday, Nov. 15 between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Anyone in the area who witnessed something out of the ordinary should contact police at 561-799-4445.

Officials are also asking people with a dash camera in their vehicle who were traveling through the area to contact investigators.

"No amount of information is too small," a news release from the Palm Beach Gardens police department said.

IMO, narrow window of time is likely window of time of death. Also, police sound a little desperate to establish he was ever out on that bike. No one has said that they saw him, captured him passing on video or security or even recalls seeing anyone on a bike.

 

[cvaldez1975]

Yes, and Crows, vultures, opossums, and many more…all of which we have an abundance of here.

i agree but i dont think he was there long enough.

 

[sk716]

I may be off base here, but the locals are saying it's crazy unlikely that Ryan met his end where he was found, right? Too much traffic on either side during the timeline.

The overpass wasn't always wooded on that side. Google Street view from 2008 shows fences.

Google Maps

If it was a dump site they had to have done it from Central.

 

[sk716]

IMO, narrow window of time is likely window of time of death. Also, police sound a little desperate to establish he was ever out on that bike. No one has said that they saw him, captured him passing on video or security or even recalls seeing anyone on a bike.

I think the last camera that would have seen him was at the Central Gardens Way, Victoria Falls Blvd, Central Blvd intersection. I don't see any cameras pointing toward Central beyond there.

 

[SweetCrabs]

I may be off base here, but the locals are saying it's crazy unlikely that Ryan met his end where he was found, right? Too much traffic on either side during the timeline.

Yes. From Central and probably after midnight if he was left there. There are cars passing before that. It's quiet between 12 and 5:30.

The overpass wasn't always wooded on that side. Google Street view from 2008 shows fences.
View attachment 324757
Google Maps

If it was a dump site they had to have done it from Central.

 

[MoeInVA]

I may be off base here, but the locals are saying it's crazy unlikely that Ryan met his end where he was found, right? Too much traffic on either side during the timeline.

The overpass wasn't always wooded on that side. Google Street view from 2008 shows fences.
View attachment 324757
Google Maps

If it was a dump site they had to have done it from Central.

I agree. If it was a dump site, I think there had to be a vehicle involved. And it seems like the offender might have waited to dump until after 9pm, but the police are only asking for dash cams and witnesses until 9pm. Which makes me think that they believe he was dumped there (or less likely killed there) in that window. Otherwise, why not ask for footage until 9 AM when he was found, right? I mean, yes they may want to prove whether or not he was biking there, but also, don't they want evidence of whomever may have dumped him there (if he was killed elsewhere -- or killed him there)?

IF my theory is correct that LE thinks he was dumped in that window, why dump him at such a risky time rather than wait until later?

A couple possibilities:
1) Panic
2) Must get rid of evidence (body/ bike) before a missing report is filed/ It is known he will be missed/ Set up a false narrative to cast suspicion away from themselves
3) Offender is juvenile/ has a shared vehicle and needs to get home (without a body and a bike in their vehicle).

MOO

 

[SweetCrabs]

I agree. If it was a dump site, I think there had to be a vehicle involved. And it seems like the offender might have waited to dump until after 9pm, but the police are only asking for dash cams and witnesses until 9pm. Which makes me think that they believe he was dumped there (or less likely killed there) in that window. Otherwise, why not ask for footage until 9 AM when he was found, right? I mean, yes they may want to prove whether or not he was biking there, but also, don't they want evidence of whomever may have dumped him there (if he was killed elsewhere -- or killed him there)?

IF my theory is correct that LE thinks he was dumped in that window, why dump him at such a risky time rather than wait until later?

A couple possibilities:
1) Panic
2) Must get rid of evidence (body/ bike) before a missing report is filed/ It is known he will be missed/ Set up a false narrative to cast suspicion away from themselves
3) Offender is juvenile/ has a shared vehicle and needs to get home (without a body and a bike in their vehicle).

MOO

Imagine a really busy through road in your area. It connects two heavily traveled main roads with shops and restaurants and on-ramps to 95 and the turnpike. It goes through a number of communities where kids and adults are busy traveling to and from activities in the evening. That's Central. There is no chance you can stealth dump a body and a bike there between 6 and 9PM. It's just too busy. And there is no shoulder there to pull over. You'd have to stop traffic with your vehicle or pull into the service road and carry all that while cars are passing within feet of you. If he was not killed there, things were staged much later.