The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Volusia Sheriff’s Office (VSO) are collaborating to re-examine the 30-year-old Laralee Spear cold case.
Spear was abducted and brutally murdered only a quarter mile from her home on April 25, 1994, just one month shy of her 16th birthday.
Her mother reported her missing when she did not arrive home after school. She was last seen getting off her school bus.
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Her body was found that same afternoon near a burned-down house a few yards away from her home on Deerfoot Road. Detectives determined that Laralee was killed within minutes of getting off the school bus.
Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood has raised the reward for information leading to an arrest to $100,000.
Both agencies are hopeful that fresh eyes and modern investigative techniques will lead to new leads in the case.
FDLE Orlando Special Agent in Charge Felipe Williams said, “This case has been unsolved for too long. Partnering with VSO allows us to combine resources and expertise, giving us new perspectives and allows us to use modern investigative strategies. Our goal is to generate new leads and solve this case once and for all.”
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“We want to let Laralee Spear know she is not forgotten. It is time to tell the truth and bring Laralee peace and closure for her family. We believe someone out there knows something that could help in this investigation. So, we ask, if you know anything, please let us know. Everybody wants to see this case closed,” said VSO Sheriff Chitwood.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to come forward.
If you lived on Deerfoot Road or attended DeLand High School in 1994, you remember Laralee Spear. Help solve her murder and bring her family justice. Contact the Volusia Sheriff’s Office at 386-254-1537 or send an email to ColdCaseUnitTips@volusiasheriff.gov. Any bit of information helps!
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