Stacey Charlene Gage, 30 of Holly Hill, FL was last seen by her grandmother, Betty Hill, wearing a pink T-shirt and light blue jeans on December 10, 2007. Gage had borrowed Hill's van to go purchase some ice at a nearby 7-11. Gage's grandmother said that it was not out of the ordinary for Gage to leave for days at a time. However, Hill's concern grew and a week later she reported the van as stolen. Gage had also left her home on Tuscaloosa Avenue without her purse.
The body of Stacey Gage was found in a densely wooded area in the 1600 block of Hancock Boulevard, near an abandoned church, in Daytona Beach on January 2, 2008. Officer Chris Reeder was surveying the area, known as a location for illegal activity. Police believe Gage had been murdered where she was found. Recovered video tape shows Gage in a Publix supermarket at what may have been hours prior to her murder. Her grandmother's van, a white Plymouth Voyager was reported missing.
The van was located January 9, 2008 in the western parking lot of Water Club Apartments, 1225 S. Beach St. in Daytona Beach. The van was unoccupied.
Gage had two children. According to authorites, Gage struggled with a cocaine addiction.
Daytona Beach Chief Michael Chitwood said her killing "eerily similar" to three other slayings in the city since 2005 and could be linked to the same suspect. The connected deaths of Iwana Patton, Laquetta Gunther and Julie Green gained national attention in 2006. All of the victims were sexually assaulted and shot at close range. DNA has been left at all of the crime scenes.
A reward for information leading to the killer's arrest has been increased to $16,000.
Daytona Beach Serial Killer Hot Line: (866)619-5734
Crime Stoppers: 1-888-277-TIPS
Victims
Laquetta Gunther
Julie Green
Iwana Patton
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