The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office hopes a $100,000 reward will lead to an arrest for the murder of Laralee Spear, a Florida teen who lost her life while walking home from school over 30 years ago.
On April 25, 1994, someone abducted, shot, and killed 15-year-old Spear near her family’s home outside DeLand. Police believe that the killer abducted the DeLand High School student as she got off the school bus at around 3:15 p.m.
Spear was reported missing around 4:05 p.m. when she failed to return home; her family said it was highly unusual behavior for her. Police responded within minutes, and by 5:35 p.m., a Sheriff’s Office Air One pilot had located her body.
Police discovered Spear about a quarter mile from her family’s home on Deerfoot Road, inside a residence that had burned down the previous year. She typically walked home from the bus stop at South Spring Garden Road and Deerfoot Road, near where her body was found.
Despite decades passing, no arrests have been made in connection with her death, according to Detective Cordell Lemay with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office
“From everything I’ve heard about her, [she] didn’t have a mean bone in her body. And that’s really what makes what happened to her so disturbing and upsetting because here we have a truly innocent victim,” Lemay told “Zone 7″ host, Sheryl McCollum.
“It was just so outside of the norm for this girl. She didn’t go anywhere on her own. She didn’t take it upon herself to…just walk over to her friends or whatever. You know if she wasn’t where she was supposed to be when she was supposed to be, and there was some sort of issue.”
Lemay, who is currently leading the cold case investigation, said the abandoned home where police found Spear had become a hangout spot for young people to party and, sometimes, shoot guns.
“There was plenty of evidence of target practice going on at the scene there, which becomes such an important aspect of the investigation because of the fact that we found evidence to suggest that the person who killed her had been there previously at another date target shooting in that area.
“It’s not like some passerby just passing through the neighborhood. They most likely live around that area, and they’re familiar with the area, and they’ve been there before.
“And what makes it doubly important is if there are other people hanging out there in addition to this unknown suspect being there occasionally, some people are probably going to cross paths with this guy at some point.”
Months after Spear’s death, police arrested Bobby Allen Raleigh, 20, who was already facing charges for two other murders in West Volusia.
Raleigh drove a dark truck that matched the description of a truck seen near the crime location, but despite this, Raleigh had an alibi. After a three-year investigation and efforts to link Raleigh to the murder, detectives had minimal evidence and no apparent motive.
The charges against Raleigh were subsequently dropped.
Lemay, however, is determined to solve the case. He said, so far, other people that detectives focused on have been ruled out as DNA contributors, but he’s hopeful that advancements in technology and enhanced resources, including support from the FBI, will eventually lead to a crack in the case.
“There’s DNA advancements happening all the time,” he said. “I’m not a scientist, I’m just a cop. So some of this stuff is difficult to wrap your mind around about how it works. But I’m confident that with what we have, it’s less of an if we find what we’re looking for and more more of a win. It’s just a matter of time.”
30 years ago today, Laralee Spear was abducted and murdered after she got off her school bus outside DeLand. She was 15 years old.
For 30 years, detectives have been trying to solve her case. pic.twitter.com/isVTUAkM7y
— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) April 25, 2024
The reward is offered for information that leads to a conviction in the case. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Major Case Unit at 386-254-1537 or email ColdCaseUnitTips@volusiasheriff.gov.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Feature Photo: Laralee Spear/Handout]
