Found Safe FL - Caden Speight, 17, kidnapped by 4 unknown men in light-colored van, do not approach, last seen 12800 block SW Hwy 484, Dunellon, 25 Sep 2025

[Sam121396]

Sigh. So where did the 4 hispanic men story come from? I'm so tred of media getting things wrong. In this climate it could be a very dangerous thing to do. JMO

From the missing kid, that’s what he told his mom, I believe.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

I suppose a very critical element is if he staged the scene by shooting the truck, he has a gun with him.

Sure hope he is safe, and finds a quick reason to want to reunite with family.

 

[justme11]

Sigh. So where did the 4 hispanic men story come from? I'm so tred of media getting things wrong. In this climate it could be a very dangerous thing to do. JMO

It wasn't just media, the Sheriff’s office posted it on their Facebook page.

 

[sripey]

Sigh. So where did the 4 hispanic men story come from? I'm so tred of media getting things wrong. In this climate it could be a very dangerous thing to do. JMO

He texted his mom about being abducted by the Hispanic men, thus the initial news reports.

@MassGuy nailed it about the story not adding up.

 

[tara83]

I suppose a very critical element is if he staged the scene by shooting the truck, he has a gun with him.

Sure hope he is safe, and finds a quick reason to want to reunite with family.

And IF he made this story up he should be charged IMO.

 

[Leilei]

Oh, boy! Here we go! One of the early comments to the SO indicated that this might be the case.

https://www.facebook.com/mcsoflorida/posts/pfbid0FWmsy6w9dabsTHMEnLNuP1rdsj2cnkptifNTyf3unxYqeAb3m51fJmTK7ND1giPol

UPDATE ON MISSING ENDANGERED JUVENILE – CADEN REX SPEIGHT
Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) detectives, Aviation Unit, Field Force Unit, and Mounted Unit, are continuing to search for Caden Rex Speight, who remains missing and is believed to be endangered. Through the initial investigation of the shooting reported in the 12800 block of SW Highway 484, around 4:10 p.m. yesterday, and Caden’s disappearance, detectives obtained information and collected evidence that are unsupportive of the initially reported facts.

Primarily, at this time, there is no evidence to indicate that he was taken by 4 Hispanic men in a light-colored van. It is possible that he left the incident location on a black bicycle with a red and grey tent, which he purchased at Walmart on SW 19th Avenue Road, in Ocala.

Since Caden is still a missing endangered juvenile, MSCO is asking anyone who may have seen a male matching his description with a dark-colored mountain bike and a tent to call 911.

"We respond to every 911 call with a determination to ensure justice is served and the truth revealed. But any law-enforcement officer will tell you that when these calls involve juveniles, it takes on an even greater intensity. This case is no different,” said Sheriff Billy Woods. “My deputies responded immediately, and I have dedicated all of my available resources to respond to this event. Initial information was later determined to be inaccurate; however, we always give everything we have until the investigation takes us into a different direction. I appreciate the many citizens who gave us tips and information to help my detectives. Understand, I will continue to have all of my available resources committed to locating this young man."

Why on earth would a 17 year old young man do this?
Hoping that he is found safe and soon, but answers are needed.
IMO.

 

[swanniee11]

Lovely!!!! I wonder if he bought a burner phone or something? So no "make America great again hat"? IMO

 

[layer]

Why on earth would a 17 year old young man do this?

The purchase of a tent makes me think this is an elaborate run-away scenario.

 

[CityKid]

Here's my issue. He's apparently ambushed in his vehicle, and you'd assume this would be a quick event. Yet he's able to text his mom telling her that he'd been shot, and provide a description? It's one thing if he had his phone on him in this alleged van, but it was apparently found at the scene.

I just can't fathom him having that kind of time.

MassGuy, I always love reading your takes on cases. I'm feeling the same way as you do about this case (although I'm about four pages of posts behind at the moment). I'm interested in seeing if there is evidence of injury in the victim's abandoned car.

 

[MassGuy]

He texted his mom about being abducted by the Hispanic men, thus the initial news reports.

@MassGuy nailed it about the story not adding up.

Lol. I love it when cases are teed up for me. This was just a ridiculous scenario.

 

[adot0902]

Well darn, I was really leaning the other way on my fence. Most of you guys seemed to already know the story was bull crap though. They had me with the parents owned a farm and fired migrant workers recently, granted it didn't make sense, but it was at least semi reasonable enough to give the story a logical starting point. Now I'm annoyed at myself for spending 20 minutes thinking of how to send a text message in an emergency with a broken phone.

 

[scapa]

Argh.

Not good.

Hopefully CS is found safe soon, reunited with family, and if this was indeed all "just a hoax," dealt with accordingly -- WITHOUT sticking to original (untrue) story in a Papini-esque way.

As others have noted, today's febrile politics make serious and unfounded accusations against "4 non-white guys in a van" actively dangerous

 

[whitelilac]

Why on earth did the kid set this up if so? If he wanted to run away, why this elaborate scheme that would have police all over it ? Misplaced attention ala Papini, payback to his family for whatever reason in order to put them through hell? Is he bipolar or in in the midst of a crisis, or has issues against Hispanic people? Very odd.
So the kid is camping somewhere? Then what?

 

[KBlackRabbit]

The purchase of a tent makes me think this is an elaborate run-away scenario.

Or he was retaliating against the workers that allegedly had friction with the family. Or it’s a grift and setting up a minority to be the target of hate crimes. Possibly both. Let’s just say, based on a conveniently deleted detail, I’m not surprised.

Stage a kidnapping, get attention, come back days later with some heroic escape story or being “let go,” rake in the G-F-M money and blame hispanics.

 

[anneoakley63]

Nothing else about the case, but just the abandoned car with butt holes, brings back that case to mine in Oklahoma, where the mother and her friend were shot and taken somewhere else to be buried and it turned out to be a custody issue with the grandma and gang

Yes, the Veronica Butler case.
EBM

 

[whitelilac]

WESH 2 spoke with a witness named Jackson McClure on Friday morning.

"I passed by here around 4 o'clock and there was a boy, young man believed to be the guy they're looking for, getting something out of the truck and shoving it into a bookbag and then bout 10-15 mins later I believe he drove by my house on a bicycle," McClure said. "I called Marion County non-emergency line and told them what I had seen, and they said, 'thank you very much, that's very helpful'"

McClure went on to say:

"The police did ask me if he was bleeding as he went by, and i told them no, he looked normal, and he wasn't struggling to ride his bicycle."

Central Florida teen found safe after reports he was taken by group of men were unfounded

Caden Speight was last seen in Dunnellon.

www.wesh.com

 

[Emerald1328]

Why on earth did the kid set this up if so? If he wanted to run away, why this elaborate scheme that would have police all over it ? Misplaced attention ala Papini, payback to his family for whatever reason in order to put them through hell? Is he bipolar or in in the midst of a crisis, or has issues against Hispanic people? Very odd.
So the kid is camping somewhere? Then what?

Trying to get attention? He previously made a mistake/did something wrong and trying to get sympathy instead of get in trouble? Mental health issues? Self-harm?

 

[vls12345]

It is possible that he left the incident location on a black bicycle with a red and grey tent, which he purchased at Walmart on SW 19th Avenue Road, in Ocala.

Rsbm.

Walmart. Always a Walmart.

 

[MassGuy]

WESH 2 spoke with a witness named Jackson McClure on Friday morning.

"I passed by here around 4 o'clock and there was a boy, young man believed to be the guy they're looking for, getting something out of the truck and shoving it into a bookbag and then bout 10-15 mins later I believe he drove by my house on a bicycle," McClure said. "I called Marion County non-emergency line and told them what I had seen, and they said, 'thank you very much, that's very helpful'"

McClure went on to say:

"The police did ask me if he was bleeding as he went by, and i told them no, he looked normal, and he wasn't struggling to ride his bicycle."

Central Florida teen found safe after reports he was taken by group of men were unfounded

Caden Speight was last seen in Dunnellon.

www.wesh.com

Absolute dream witness.

 

[TexLil]

The purchase of a tent makes me think this is an elaborate run-away scenario.

Maybe not that elaborate since he bought the tent at Walmart right before 'the incident'. Sounds like it could be a last minute impromptu staged getaway/runaway attempt that was so badly thought out questions rose immediately.

Reference post #105 for link to police update on purchases.