MARION COUNTY, Fla. – The desperate, multi-county search for kidnapped 17-year-old Caden Speight has intensified as investigators release the chilling final text message he sent to his mother moments before he vanished: “Mom, I need help. Four Hispanics in a white van — one driver. I’m shot.”

The message, received by his mother, Annie Speight, on Thursday afternoon, confirms the gravest fears of law enforcement: Caden was wounded during his violent abduction and is in the hands of four armed and dangerous men. The text has provided critical details for the ongoing AMBER Alert and has added a new layer of extreme urgency to the massive search operation now underway by air, land, and water in and around Marion County.

The investigation took a significant turn Friday morning after a UPS driver came forward to report a suspicious and hostile encounter he had with four men matching the suspects’ description, who were working on a roof with a white van parked nearby, just hours before and miles from where Caden was abducted. This new lead has provided detectives with a specific location and identity to pursue in a case that has rattled Central Florida.

“Mom, I need help… I’m shot”: A Son’s Final Plea

The text message sent by Caden Speight to his mother is the emotional and evidentiary heart of this terrifying case. It is a brief but powerful cry for help that serves as a running start for a massive investigation.

The message accomplishes several things for law enforcement:

• It confirms the crime: It refutes any possibility of him being a runaway, stating clearly, “I need help.”
• It provides a suspect description: “Four Hispanics in a white van — one driver.” This has become the central focus of the AMBER Alert.
• It confirms extreme violence: The words “I’m shot” indicate that the suspects used lethal force and that Caden is in need of immediate, life-saving medical attention.

Shortly after this message was sent, Caden’s phone went silent. It was later discovered by investigators at the crime scene on SW Highway 484, broken in half—a detail that suggests a deliberate and violent attempt by his abductors to cut off his communication and destroy evidence. For his mother, Annie, and the rest of his family, the message is both a source of profound terror and a crucial clue they pray will lead to his rescue.

A New Lead: The UPS Driver’s Account

A potentially major breakthrough in the case came from an alert UPS driver, Joshua Vowinkel, who contacted authorities after seeing the AMBER Alert. Vowinkel told Channel2 NOW that on Thursday at around 1:00 p.m.—just three hours before Caden was abducted—he was making a delivery at 11795 SW Highway 484, a location in close proximity to the crime scene.

At that address, he observed four Hispanic men on a lunch break from a roofing job. A white van was parked at the property. Vowinkel, making his usual friendly greeting, said he was met with unexpected hostility.

“They responded aggressively in Spanish and gave him hostile looks,” the report states. Vowinkel said he initially dismissed the strange encounter but realized its potential significance when he heard the details of the kidnapping. He provided investigators with the homeowner’s first name, Nika, giving them a concrete name and address to investigate—a critical lead in what was previously a search for unknown assailants. Detectives are now urgently working to verify the identities of the men at that work site.

The Search from Air, Land, and Water

The law enforcement response to Caden’s abduction has been massive and technologically advanced, spanning multiple counties.

• Air Support: The Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office have their aviation units in the sky. They are conducting meticulous “grid-search patterns”—flying in overlapping circles approximately one mile apart—to systematically scan a 30-mile radius from the point of abduction. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has deployed its Bell 206A Jet Ranger helicopter, a versatile aircraft specifically outfitted for search-and-rescue operations, allowing pilots to scan the dense Florida landscape.
• Ground Operations: On the ground, the search is just as intense. Deputies, specialized search-and-rescue teams, and K-9 units are combing the vast and difficult terrain of rural Marion County. They are meticulously searching wooded areas, riverbanks, and drainage ditches—any place where a vehicle could be concealed or evidence could have been discarded.

This comprehensive search is a testament to the gravity of the situation. It is a coordinated, all-out effort to find Caden before it’s too late.

CRITICAL AMBER ALERT INFORMATION

Law enforcement is stressing that public vigilance is crucial. Please review and share the following information.

• VICTIM: Caden Speight
  • Age: 17 years old
  • Race: White Male
  • Height: 6 feet tall, Weight: 150 pounds
  • Hair: Brown, Eyes: Brown
  • Clothing: T-shirt and blue jeans.
• SUSPECTS:
  • Four unknown males, possibly Hispanic.
  • They are considered ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
• SUSPECT VEHICLE:
  • May be traveling in a light-colored van.
• INSTRUCTIONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT:
  • IF YOU SEE CADEN, THE SUSPECTS, OR THE VEHICLE, DO NOT APPROACH.
  • CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY.

A Community on High Alert

The abduction of Caden Speight has sent a wave of fear through the tight-knit communities of Marion County. The fact that a teenager could be shot and kidnapped from the side of a highway in the middle of the afternoon is a terrifying reality that has put everyone on high alert.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has been inundated with calls and potential tips, and they are urging the public to continue reporting anything suspicious. They are asking residents, particularly in the Dunnellon, Ocala, and surrounding rural areas, to check their own properties and review any security camera footage they may have from Thursday afternoon.

As the search enters its second day, the hope is that the new lead from the UPS driver, combined with the massive law enforcement effort and the vigilance of the public, will lead to a breakthrough. For the family of Caden Speight, every passing minute is an agony, and their only hope lies in the community and the tireless work of the deputies searching for their son.

Anyone with information is urged to call 911, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at (352) 732-9111, or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s missing persons line at 1-888-FL-MISSING (1-888-356-4774).