MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Caden Speight, a 17-year-old from Marion County, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly orchestrating an abduction hoax and making a false crime report.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says Speight fabricated an incident where he claimed to have been kidnapped and shot.
READ: Hero Dog Eeyore Leads Deputy to Missing 86-Year-Old Florida Woman
On Sept. 25, deputies went to a place in Dunnellon after Speight messaged his family, saying he had been shot. His final known location was monitored through Life360.
Upon arrival, deputies say they found the truck Speight had been driving but could not locate him. The investigation showed that Speight had fired a shot through the truck’s windshield and splattered a mixture of blood inside to simulate a crime scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies say Speight fled the area on a bicycle with camping supplies he had purchased earlier. An eyewitness reported seeing him leave the area on a bicycle.
Further investigation revealed Speight had discussed running away, searched online about blood collection and Mexican cartels, and was later found by Williston police on Sept. 26 with a handgun and a self-inflicted leg wound requiring medical care.
Speight was arrested and taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice, concluding the investigation into his staged abduction and false crime report.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
