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Dead Man's Mom, Friends Turn To Public For Answers

News Channel 8

Kim Truman was handing out fliers Tuesday, looking for clues in the death of her son, Jason Michael Downey, who disappeared early Friday and was found dead in Tampa Bay.

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TBO.com

Published: October 1, 2008

The mother of a man found dead in Tampa Bay is asking the public for help.

Jason Michael Downey, Kim Truman's son, never made it home from a St. Petersburg bar Thursday night.

Truman and some of her son's friends passed out fliers Tuesday night in St. Petersburg with the description of Downey's 1998 green Toyota RAV4 with Florida tag 828HWN. He was driving the RAV4 Thursday night.

"It's gonna answer some questions about how his body got into the Bay," Truman said. "Did someone put something in his drink? Did they push his body into the bay? ... Is his car in some garage somewhere?"

Downey's death is being investigated as suspicious, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. His driver's license was in his pocket, and he was wearing jeans, boots and a black long-sleeve shirt, an outfit he often wore, relatives said.

Downey, of 708 W. Euclid Ave., Tampa, met friends Thursday night at Georgie's Alibi, 3100 Third Ave. N. He reportedly left the bar about 2 a.m. Friday but never made it home.

Downey, a technician for an Apollo Beach veterinarian, was at the bar with his roommate and friends, said his aunt, Val Stubl. He and his roommate decided to head home in separate cars. Downey told the roommate he would be right behind him after he finished a cigarette.

The roommate got home and went to bed, and when he left for work, Downey still was not home, Stubl said. Downey's family tried to find him. Stubl called Downey's cell phone, but it went straight to voice mail.

The family called hospitals looking for him or a John Doe and filed a missing person's report with police. They checked to see whether Downey had been arrested. They asked around at the bar. They drove through St. Petersburg looking for his car.

Stubl said her nephew had no enemies, but she fears that "maybe somebody did something to him."

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