Transcription
Do you think you can tell us what happened?
I was walking back from the store. White vehicle pulls up and asked me if I wanted to go like if he knew any fun places. I just said no. I kept walking and then he asked if I could go with him somewhere to get a drink for $300. I said no. I kept walking and he looked a little aggravated and then he grabbed me and I just ran.
All right. Well, oh Susan or she's fine. It's just a few stress.
Okay. It's a Saturday afternoon in Eustace, Florida. A 17-year-old is walking back from a gas station when a white SUV slows down beside her. The driver asks a simple question, then makes an offer that sends her running. What he doesn't realize is that the next 40 minutes of police work are about to undo everything he just did.
Well, there's my identification. I know you're going to need it. And this is my daughter. Okay, I'll talk to her momentarily after I get this. Do you think you can tell us what happened?
I was walking back from the store cuz I wanted to get something like a drink and then as like right couple minutes after this white vehicle pulls up and asked me if I wanted to go like if he knew any fun places, I just said no. I kept walking and then he asked if I could go with him somewhere to get a drink for $300. I said no. I kept walking and he looked a little aggravated and then he grabbed me and I just ran.
Where'd he grab you?
Right here.
Okay.
She ran back to the store and called me.
Gotcha.
Being 17, she's walked up. I mean, we've lived here since.
Oh, yeah. No, I mean, they've walked all her and my 13-year-old have walked up and down these roads. I know there's more and more.
I mean, this is not normal, obviously, and shouldn't be happening, of course. And I'm sorry that you had to go through that, but uh we're going to take down some information and try to get this guy. Okay. Can you describe him for me?
Like white short spiky hair with her type of glasses.
So white white hair or white man?
White hair.
Okay.
White man, too.
What store was it?
Sokco.
Where did he try to grab you? Front back of the store.
Uh I was right almost by the um wood place. That wood building.
Okay.
Are you saying right there where the Planned Parenthood is? I was right there.
I think so. So, did he stop at bay on Bay Street? On the main street or on the side?
On the side.
Okay.
He looked to be 50s, maybe 60s, mainly in his 50s. I think he was wearing a blue t-shirt and it was like a white SUV that he was in. I think.
He said it looked it was an all-white midsize SUV like a Volvo or a Honda style.
Okay. Not a van, just a midsize SUV.
All right.
Yeah. She said it something similar to.
You know where it headed.
It kept going straight to the stop sign and then turned left.
Something like that.
Mid thighs, maybe a little smaller.
He had stuff in his passenger seat. I couldn't really get a good look at it though.
So he took a left on Grove Street kind of north. Okay.
She ran back to Sokco and called me from there because her phone doesn't have service on it and she didn't know she could call 911 without phone service.
Yeah.
So now she does. All right. I'm going to go check over there.
I'm going to go check in that area. She said it happened right over here where the new soccer place is. So, I'm going to see if they have any cameras that may have been pointed over here by chance.
Were you closer to the gas station?
All right.
Yeah.
Moment. Has there ever been any other uh complaints of.
There was one other time when she was walking down this way. There was a another incident where a probably I want to say a 30-year-old man had cat called her and went around the block like three times while she was walking and she ran home. But I never reported it because he never touched her and never came near her.
Um normally she walks with pepper spray and she didn't take it today.
How old is she?
17. and she'll be 18 in May.
Now, uh, Mom, are we pressing charges here or.
If you find him?
Yep.
Yeah.
Here's what the footage can't show you. While these officers are pulling surveillance from one business after another, a second system is already working in the background. Eustace runs license plate cameras, flock cameras that log vehicles automatically as they pass. About 40 minutes after she made that call, one of them flagged a white SUV matching her description. That hit, plus an anonymous tip from someone in the public, pointed police straight to the vehicle's registered owner.
This lady, you looking for.
This one before after she's going to after come back.
Mhm. Okay.
She's you look for looking for this bag here. And so uh 229.
What's up?
She's already a lot at once.
Came for a drink.
Drink. Yeah.
This older guy. I never.
I got I got to see if she's talking to him. Uh.
Sexy.
Wait. Wait. No. Looks like he just went inside.
She might have asked.
Wait. No. All right, take this down. Uh.
231. She's seen walking outside with a black male subject.
Oh, there they are.
Is that one of the kids from um 255? Oh, Steven.
Oh.
Probably. I haven't really gone there.
Yeah. First time this guy with her.
Did he buy anything?
Lady Lady will buy for this one back. Okay.
Lady want buy back.
She wanted to buy.
Did he buy it?
No, he not buy. She buy.
She buy.
She buy $15 small.
But he was the one that wanted.
Oh, together is coming. He no buy nothing. And this one. No, this green one. He's a good guy. Too much talking. This is not bad.
Oh, this guy.
Yeah, this is too much stocking. No bad. This is by uh soda or something.
Did she leave the store?
Don't know what this other guy other side.
Okay.
Go.
Where is she at? I could click on another one.
Someone just pulled up. 5 and we saw what what time did she leave? What?
232.
233.
What time was she coming back this way? Running back. Is she all right?
I think 236, but I could be wrong.
That's 2 minutes. I don't know about that. Let's walk.
You got it.
Runs back at 236.
Yeah.
There's no way you can expect the early in minutes.
No, it has to be another car.
This is insane, man. No coincidence. Like, it's the same car.
Yeah. Um.
So I got the.
Well, at least I can get the make law on that that one.
Yeah.
So, we did some investigating everything. Uh, we just want to ask some further questions just so we can crack the case. All right.
You're not in trouble or anything. Obviously, we just need more details so we can get whoever this guy is. Okay.
Mhm.
What was uh what were you going to the store for? to get like some chips and drinks, but I didn't have enough money for both of them, so I didn't get any.
Chips and drinks. All right. All right. Did you interact with anybody when you got to the store?
I interacted with an old friend. He wanted me to buy a vape, but I said I had to go.
Okay. Yep.
And then that's the last time I saw him and I started walking.
Gotcha. All right. All right. You said you were walking down the street and this vehicle approached you, right? The white vehicle. All right. Said he asked you about a place to go to, right? That's all true. Um, is there any more detail into it or anything like that? Um, besides the saying to get in the vehicle for $300, you say anything else or.
All right. And uh, do you remember anything you said back to him?
I said no and I kept walking.
Said no, you kept walking. All right. Now, did he touch you?
He went out to grab and then I started running.
Okay.
Where was he? Where was he parked?
Hey.
I don't know. Y'all ask me so many questions. I DON'T KNOW. IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST. I JUST WANT TO LEAVE. YOU NEED TO calm your [ __ ] because they're trying to do their job to get.
I don't know HOW MUCH MORE TO SAY. I IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST. I DON'T KNOW.
THEN QUIT YELLING AT THEM.
We're just trying to get information. I mean, I can't do their job. I don't want to get this person in trouble. to make sure he sees justice for, you know, what he's putting you through. So, that's why we're asking these questions.
All right. If you need a moment to just.
I just wanted to go with my boyfriend and everything's gone wrong. I can't even see him now.
I mean, he can come back. I mean.
He can't he doesn't have enough gas. He came in from the that one wood place that has a wood thing. He came in from right there and then turned around and tried to follow and I and he asked all those and I kept saying no. And that's when it all happened.
All right. And he he he followed you and then as he followed you, he grabbed you your your sweater.
Okay. What what was it that he had said?
He asked if I knew any fun places, I said no. And that's when he asked if I wanted to go get a drink for $300 with him and have a fun time.
Okay.
And I said no. And I kept walking.
Okay. And when you kept walking, he.
He seemed aggravated and I felt something. I don't know.
Okay.
It felt like he grabbed me. Okay.
So, that's when I started running back and that's when he drove off.
Okay.
Now, are you 100% sure he grabbed it?
I don't know. It felt like.
No, it's all right. It's okay.
They have to ask questions in order to do their job.
All right. Well, oh, Susan or.
She's fine. It's just a student stress.
Okay. Uh, do we need to call medical for that or are you sure?
Yes.
Just keep her on her side. Is that what you typically do?
Yes.
I'm trying to keep her on the side.
Okay. Um, are you sure you do not want to call medical?
I'm positive. She doesn't She doesn't have epilepsy.
Okay. But is this like a seizure?
Abby, it appears like a seizure.
It's a pseudo seizure. It's her body's respect response to stress.
Okay.
I have spent over $100,000 in medical these last year because everybody keeps calling 911 and they put her up to the machines and nothing happens.
Okay.
Are you okay?
Mhm.
All right. So, listen. We're going to get out of your hair. We just needed to verify a couple things. All right. Sorry if the day was ruined, but again, you have to see it our point of view. We got to do our investigation. Okay.
All right. We'll be in touch. All right.
You can reach out to us if you need.
She okay talking to us?
Oh, well, she got a little.
What's up, sweetheart?
Agitated and aggravated earlier, so.
It's understandable. Would you mind talking to me for a second? I'm not any of the males. Okay. This is me talking. Mom, I'm just going to explain to her what I told you. So, I don't know all the details. They want you to do a I guess they were asking you to do a photo lineup. Basically, it's a series where you look at these pictures and you say this is a person that look like uh tried to do something to me or whatever the case is. I can't know all the details because then that would jeopardize the case.
Are you willing to do that for me? Okay. After the instructions, I'll let you do your thing. Okay. You'll be asked to view a group of photos or individuals or persons. Person of interest might or might not be the person present in the photographic array or lineup. And the photos/ people are not in any particular order. photos will be shown to you simultaneously and are not in any particular order. It takes as much time as you need to examine them. You said all that. You're 17, right? Okay, cool. If you acknowledge that, sign right here and then go ahead and put your name as a witness. Now, let me sign it and I'll let you photos or photo. All right, you ready?
Mhm.
No.
Not any of them.
Okay, I will note what you said. I will tell my corporal and that's all we need from you. Appreciate it. Okay. If you need something, you call us, ask talk to me. I know sometimes a lot of males is kind of like, "Yeah, I want to talk to a female." So, all right, you guys take care. Okay.
The plate and the tip lead them here. A house in Eustace and the man it's registered to, 55-year-old Gregory Lockwood. When officers come to the door, Lockwood doesn't walk out the front. He tries to slip out the back. There's already an officer waiting. Hey, how you doing? Looking for Gregory.
Gregory?
Yeah, Lockwood.
Gregory Lockwood.
Is this the right.
Uh.
Whose car is this.
Car right there?
Um, yeah. Gregory, I don't know if he's here, though.
Is he here? Yes.
Does he live here?
We need to talk to him.
Yeah, he lives here, but I don't know if he's here.
Can you call him? Can we go inside and check? We need to talk to him.
Uh, yeah. What happened? It was.
Talk to him about it.
Yeah, I got to talk to Gregory. So if I know he's in his come out.
Just give him a second.
Please. Thank you.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
He says he's not sure.
Hi, how are you?
It's his wife. I want to talk to his wife. I want to talk to him.
Yeah, I'm the owner of the house. Um, I'm know the house and travel.
Okay. You're his wife. Is he here?
No. No. I know his wife. He He lived right there, but he was.
Okay, we're just going to go ahead and tow his car and go from there. Okay, we'll tow his car till he comes out and plays nice with us. You, Greg?
Yeah. I don't I don't.
Come here, Greg.
All right. Come on, Greg. You're under arrest for a attempted kidnapping that happened Saturday. Thank you.
Attempted kidnapping?
Mhm.
Okay. I think you I don't.
You got the wrong guy.
I don't kidnap anybody.
I've been in this job for 36 years now. You know how many times I've heard that?
I understand.
A couple times. So.
I just told him he's he's arrested for attempted kidnapping that Saturday in Eustace.
Attempted kidnapping.
Yep.
Thank you.
I haven't really done anything. I don't even know what you're talking about. You're in town Saturday?
Yeah. Where were you?
Saturday? Yeah.
Where were you Saturday?
Saturday I was getting ready to go to work like I am now.
Okay. Were you anywhere? And.
Where do you work?
I work for Florida's natural. It's orange juice.
Oh, over there on 44.
Umatella. No, it's on 19.
Oh, it's the other one.
Okay. 19 going northbound on the left hand side.
Yeah.
Okay.
It's in Umatella.
So, were you working? Were you tell me what did you do outside of the whole day? And then did you.
Man, I I worked 4:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. So I I woke up, took a shower, I went to get Wendy's, and I went to work.
Okay. Were you in by any means or?
Yeah. Yes, I went to Wendy's and before I went to work.
Anywhere else in US that you were hanging out at or.
And this is where it gets interesting. Lockwood doesn't deny talking to her. He admits he pulled over, admits he asked her to get a drink, admits he thought she was attractive. What he won't admit is the part that turns a bad conversation into a crime. He says he never offered her money, never put a hand on her, never knew she was underage.
I did I did stop on the way when I when I saw someone and ask her about uh local bars.
All right. So, explain. Can you explain that to me? This is.
Yeah, I.
I just want honesty, man. That's all I want.
Just be honest and then we'll go from there. So.
I swear to God I didn't do anything wrong. And I uh what happened?
I saw a girl and I uh I uh she smiled and I was like, "Hey, you know," and she started walking. So, I drove up and said, "Hey, you know, is any places around here you can hang out and get some drinks?" Cuz I don't go to bars, you know, since I came back home.
Okay. And what did she say?
She started talking about uh she didn't know a whole lot of places. She started talking about a bar called Fat Cats that I've never been to.
Okay.
I said, "Is it pretty cool?" She goes, "Yeah, it's good." I said, "You go there?" She goes, "Yeah, sometime." Oh, I asked her um I said, "So, what are you doing right now?" I want to I want to go uh have some beers and shoot some pool and have some fun, you know, play some darts.
Okay.
She was like, "Oh, I can. I got a boyfriend." I was like, "Okay, cool." And you know, after that, she just It was weird cuz she started running back to where she came from, but I was like, "Okay, I mean, I didn't do anything wrong. I had no intention of doing anything." Then I uh.
Is it possible that that I have video footage of that interaction with you and you with this female?
If what.
Is it possible that I have video footage of the interaction with you and this female?
I don't know. Okay.
I don't know.
So, everything you're telling me is true?
Yeah. I mean, I'm being honest. I just was driving to work and I I saw her and I said, "Hey, she's she's cool." But then when she started talking about her boyfriend, I said, "Oh, [ __ ] I didn't know you had a boyfriend."
Did you ask for her age? Did you know she was of age?
I don't know. She she was tatted up and I just asked her if she knows any bars. I mean, I just asked her if she wanted to go to the bar, had some drinks. I I mean, I I didn't do any problem with that. I'm assuming that's why you're talking to me right now cuz then I went to work and then I came home and I've worked every day since Christmas. Did you ever So you said you invited her to the car. You told her to get in the car.
No. No. No. I asked Did you ever invite her in a car?
Do I?
Did you ever invite her into you a car?
No. No. I asked her if she wanted to go to the bar.
I said, "Do you want to go to the bar and have some drinks?" She said, "No." She had a boyfriend. I was like, "But that's the end of it." Till you're standing here asking me questions about it.
And I'm being honest. I appreciate your honesty. I have no reason to lie to you, you know what I mean?
Me neither. I'm I'm an older dude, retired military, man. I live right beside the deputy right here.
Is there a Did you ever offer her any money?
No. No. I asked her to go to the bar.
You asked her to go to the bar. That's it.
Yeah.
I said, "Hey, you want to go have some drinks?" And uh honestly, she said, "No, I have a boyfriend." I said, "Oh, that's too bad." And I was like, and then she started walking. She started walking and all a sudden she started running. I was like, "That's weird."
Okay, got you.
You can pat him down again. I did take out his stuff, but just give him another pat down cuz I know he's going in your car. He has nothing else on him.
Okay. And I'll bring right this way. You can follow Officer Bianc. All right, step on out.
Yes, sir.
How you doing?
Better.
Just have a seat right over here.
Just stand by. Let me call it.
I'll be honest with you. I got no reason to lie to you, man. I'm just.
Yeah.
I don't know what was.
You know. I did uh Detective Perez read you Miranda earlier. So, if you're reinitiating contact on that, I want to remember your rights. Why don't you print your name there and then we'll put your phone number. Smooth that water out of the way so we don't spill it. Every time I've done that in my life, not just my career, it it has spilled on me.
My handwriting is terrible. That's right. You can call us back here at the PD and ask for criminal investigations. There's only three guys that work for me and I'm the supervisor, so I'll know about it. It just take a few days for us to get it done. As long as you feel comfortable with that.
I don't have anything to, like I said, I'm just a normal dude. What do I do here?
Just sign. I just like to cover every base. That's why we took your car, too. I wasn't trying to be hard on you or anything. But if I don't do everything by the numbers, I've been doing this a long time.
I know y'all really not told me much. I I know that some.
We're still writing it up.
Yeah. Some girl, she she called her mom and and said I I don't even know what y'all.
The charges attempted kidnapping and battery on a minor.
No. No, that's Come on, brother.
I'm just telling you what charges are, man. So.
That's impossible. Okay.
Okay.
There's there's a lot of sides to every story, you know. You're side my side somewhere in the truth.
You've been doing this a long time.
And everybody has a right. I've been lied to before, but everybody has a right to uh to have their own defense. So, I'm not doubting you. We just got to kind of go with the word of what what she told us and what her mother told us. And we're following up. You've been cooperative. I'll give you that much. Thank you.
I have no reason to not be. I just.
I just can't predict the future what the state's going to do or anything like that. I just.
We want to look at your car. We want to look at the phone. I want to make sure I got everything.
No, that's fine. I I'm just a normal dude.
I know you told me that a bunch of times.
I know you're here.
Let me throw this out.
I've been shocked, man.
Yeah. I'm going to uh write your mom's number down. I'll put it in your wallet.
Okay. No problem. Thank you. We do appreciate it.
Guys. Gregory Lockwood was booked into the Lake County Jail and charged with attempted kidnapping and battery on a minor. At his first court appearance, a judge set his bond at just over $500,000. $500,000 on the kidnapping charge, a th000 on the battery. The case was still working its way through the courts, and Lockwood has denied the allegations every step of the way. What the footage doesn't show you is what the police chief said afterward. He called it exactly what it looked like, someone praying on a kid. And he didn't treat it like a one-off. He went public asking anyone who'd had a similar encounter with this man to come forward. Because, in his words, people who do this usually don't do it just once. So, here's the question worth sitting with. If those cameras hadn't been there, and if she hadn't run when she did, how does this story end? If this one stuck with you, there's more on the channel worth your.