A man who grew up in Lawrence was killed last weekend in an apparent hit-and-run accident in Florida.

And investigators in Jacksonville Beach say a suspect in the case has ties to Topeka.

Jacksonville Beach police have said Spencer Schott, 35, died after he was struck by a car.

The Florida Times-Union has reported Schott, a 1993 Lawrence High School graduate, was standing in front of his apartment complex. Police said the incident occurred about 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sgt. Tom Bingham, a Jacksonville Beach police spokesman, said Thursday investigators were still trying to find 30-year-old Adam Lloyd Shepard, who Topeka police said was wanted on felony hit-and-run charges in Schott’s death. Shepard owns a white 2005 Acura TL with a Florida license plate “925IRG” believed to be at the scene.

Former KU student Adam Lloyd Shepard will face first-degree murder charges in the hit-and-run death of former Lawrence resident Spencer Schott in Jacksonville Beach.

It was unclear if Shepard knew Schott before the incident.

Kansas University spokesman Todd Cohen said Shepard, whose hometown was Topeka, was a KU student from 2000 to 2002 but did not graduate.

Topeka police said they had been in contact with Florida authorities, but police spokeswoman Kristen Veverka said there was no indication he was in Topeka.

According to the Times-Union, Florida police also think Shepard could be in Omaha, Neb.

Friends of Schott said on Thursday that they were saddened by the news. Both of his parents, Susan K. Schott and John S. Schott, are Lawrence residents.

According to his obituary, Schott earned a bachelor’s degree in 1997 from the University of Iowa and was working as a district sales manager for the ADP Corp. in Jacksonville.

Friends said he was a fun-loving kid growing up who enjoyed sports.

“He was the type of person who was just always smiling, always having fun and looking to have a good time,” said Aaron Wilmes, a Lawrence optometrist who graduated with Schott.

Jacksonville Beach police are asking anyone with information in the case to call 904-270-1661.