MARION COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 A Florida teen allegedly staged his own abduction, shot himself in the leg, and sparked an Amber Alert \u2014 all to keep the lie going. <\/p>\n
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced on Tuesday that 17-year-old Caden Speight was arrested following a deceptive abduction hoax that triggered an Amber Alert<\/a> and a multi-agency search across Central Florida.<\/p>\n The sheriff’s office said that Speight texted his family on Sept. 25, claiming he was shot and abducted by four Hispanic men in a light-colored van near 12800 SW Highway 484 in Dunnellon. His last known location was tracked via Life360, and authorities responded immediately, fearing a violent kidnapping.<\/p>\n Deputies arrived to find Speight\u2019s abandoned truck with a bullet hole through the windshield, suspected blood, drag marks in the dirt, and bicycle tracks leading away. His cellphone was found severely damaged. These details initially supported the abduction narrative, prompting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to issue an Amber Alert.<\/p>\n However, the investigation quickly unraveled the story. Detectives said they discovered Speight had purchased a bicycle, tent, and camping supplies at a Walmart in Ocala just before reporting the incident. Evidence revealed Speight had fired the shot himself<\/a>, used a blood mixture to simulate injury, and fled the scene on the bike.<\/p>\n Further digital forensics uncovered ChatGPT searches on Speight\u2019s laptop about \u201ccollecting his blood without causing pain\u201d and information on Mexican cartels, according to MCSO. Witnesses also contradicted the initial story, confirming Speight had simply ridden away toward Williston.<\/p>\n In a final attempt to maintain the ruse, Speight shot himself in the leg, causing a non-life-threatening injury that shattered his femur. He then emerged near a roadway in Williston, where citizens found him and alerted authorities. The Marion County Sheriff\u2019s Office emphasized, \u201cThere is ZERO chance that Caden\u2019s gunshot wound came from any type of assailant.\u201d<\/p>\n On September 26, Williston Police Department officers located Speight at 727 W Noble Avenue with the bicycle and a handgun still in his possession. Despite his injuries, he continued to claim he had been abducted.<\/p>\n See also: Florida woman sentenced to life for murder-for-hire plot of ex-son-in-law<\/a><\/p>\n On Sept. 29, Sheriff Billy Woods addressed public concerns about the cost and consequences of the hoax, stating, \u201cMany of you have asked, \u2018Will Caden be facing any charges?\u2019 \u2018What about the taxpayer cost of this large-scale investigation and search?\u2019 I can tell you those items are not off the table at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the investigation, MCSO Major Crimes detectives obtained a warrant for Speight\u2019s arrest. He was booked into the Department of Juvenile Justice for:<\/p>\n Presenting False EvidenceShooting into a ConveyanceMaking a False Report of a CrimePossession of a Firearm by a Minor<\/p>\n Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter <\/a>to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel<\/a> for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MARION COUNTY, Fla. 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