On 3rd Anniversary Of Finding Sarasota 14-Year-Old’s Remains, $50K Reward Offered: Police

SARASOTA, FL — A $50,000 reward is being offered in the cold case death of a Sarasota teenager.

The increased reward for information related to the death of 14-year-old Jabez Spann was announced by Sarasota police on Wednesday, the third anniversary of his remains being found in rural Manatee County.

“We're continuing to ask for information in his death investigation. We have said it from the beginning, and we'll continue to say that we believe someone in our community knows something,” Sarasota police wrote on Facebook.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Sarasota at 941-366-TIPS (8477). The $50,000 reward is in place for information leading to an arrest. All tips can remain anonymous, police said.

Jabez was last seen in September of 2017 near 22nd Street in Sarasota. His remains were found in February of 2019, police said.

Before he went missing, the teen reportedly witnessed a murder in his neighborhood, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He was leaving a friend’s house and walking to his home nearby when he encountered three men chasing, and eventually shooting, a 31-year-old man.

When Jabez said, “Oh my God. Y’all shot him,” the three suspects left the scene, two running away on foot, while the other took the victim’s car, reports said. He went missing a week later.