PENSACOLA, Fla. — Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said there are at least two persons of interest in the homicide of 12-year-old Naomi Jones.
Naomi's body was found Monday afternoon in a stream near Ashland Avenue and Detroit Boulevard in Pensacola.
Naomi was last seen Wednesday, the day she was reported missing, around noon in front of the Aspen Village Apartments in the 1000 block of East Johnson Avenue, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office said when the Florida Missing Child Alert was issued Thursday.
"Right now I can release that we have at least two individuals," Morgan said, according to FOX10 WALA. "Again, I caution everyone, that can be reduced to one or it could go to three or four.
"But as a result of the investigation and where it's at today, we have identified at least two people we believe were involved in the abduction and eventual homicide of Naomi."
CBS affiliate WKRG reports that Morgan said that whoever is behind Naomi's homicide may be someone known to her family.
“That’s very possible, either to the family or to Naomi or a circle of friends, but again, but again, as the investigation continues we’ll be able to further define that down. How did she make contact with him? Was it a random thing? Those are answers to the case that are very significant in developing the timeline,” Morgan said.
Morgan said the last known communication with Naomi -- a cellphone conversation with a friend -- was at 12:21 p.m. Wednesday.
FOX10 reports that Morgan said the investigation is "very fluid" and there's a technical side to the case involving cellphones, apps and websites.
Deputies searched for Naomi for days, and got investigative help from the FBI, Morgan said. A $20,000 reward for information leading to Naomi's whereabouts was offered as hundreds of people searched for her on Sunday.