INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Authorities are confident that accused murderer Rondell Reed was in Sebastian as late as Wednesday after finding blood evidence left behind when he tried to steal a vehicle from Sebastian Auto on US 1 early Wednesday morning.
“We have significant developments and significant evidence,” Sheriff Deryl Loar said Friday afternoon.
He said investigators found evidence that Reed traveled north from Gifford 13 miles along the Florida East Coast Railroad tracks to Sebastian following his jailbreak Monday morning.
In Sebastian, Reed tried to break into three vehicles at Sebastian Auto but was unsuccessful.
The last vehicle he tried to enter was a Dodge Caravan, Sheriff Loar said, adding that Reed broke one of the windows and cut himself in the process, leaving behind blood evidence.
Around 2 p.m. Friday, the Crime Lab confirmed DNA found in the blood matches Reed.
Sheriff Loar said much credit goes to the Crime Lab for running the DNA as quickly as it did.
“The turnaround on the DNA was incredible,” he said, explaining that it usually takes four or five days to run DNA.
After failing to get one of the vehicles at Sebastian Auto, Reed traveled another mile north and entered a vacant home at 1601 US 1, where authorities say they found evidence he waited, watching Clark Water Company next door.
Sheriff Loar said that while the business was open, Reed watched the vehicles coming and going, waiting for an opportunity to present itself.
The owner of a Dodge Ram hemi pickup truck pulled into the business, left the keys in the truck and then drove off in a delivery truck. He was gone less than 15 minutes, Sheriff Loar said, but it was enough time for Reed to walk over to the truck and drive off.
Whether Reed is still in the Sebastian area or has fled Indian River County has not been released publicly.
Sheriff Loar said the truck Reed is believed to have stolen from the water company had a full tank of gas and could travel an estimated 340 miles before needing to refuel.
The sheriff said the hunt for Reed continues nationwide in concert with various agencies, including Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshals Service.
“It’s a great day,” the sheriff said. “We’re making wonderful progress. We know we’re on the right track.”
