UPDATE: The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has conducted an autopsy on the body discovered in a pond along Interstate-75.
MCSO believes the body to be that of missing 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier. However, the Medical Examiner has not yet confirmed the identity due to advanced decomposition, necessitating additional forensic tests.
No evidence of foul play or trauma was detected during the autopsy. The cause and manner of death are still pending toxicology results and further investigations, according to the Medical Examiner’s report.
Investigators indicated they think the body had been submerged for several days before it floated to the surface.
Watch report from Annette Gutierrez
Body found off of I-75 believed to be missing 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier: MCSO
“It’s not the outcome that anybody wants…This is devastating,” expressed Shelley Croft, a Licensed Private Investigator with the organization We Are the Essentials. “This family has endured a lot this past week.”
We Are The Essentials, a team of private investigators dedicated to locating missing individuals, issued an alert earlier this week regarding Pelletier, who went missing on August 1st while enjoying a vacation in Englewood with his family.
Originally from North Carolina, Pelletier was last seen as his cousins picked him up to travel to Brevard County on Florida’s east coast post-vacation.
His aunt reported that Pelletier texted his mom during an argument, saying, “Help me.” He subsequently exited the vehicle near SR-70 in Manatee County, where his phone and backpack were found about half a mile away along I-75. Soon after, the body was discovered in that vicinity.
On Saturday, the family, along with the organization, announced Pelletier’s death.
Croft stated that while the family experiences some level of closure, this is not the resolution they had hoped for. “The last thing you want to do is bury your child,” she said. “Yet there are families out there still seeking answers years later. For it to conclude within a week’s timeframe, we are thankful. That uncertainty is the most challenging part.”
The family has requested privacy during this difficult time, and the investigation remains active.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) is considering legislation to eliminate homeowners associations statewide, as more Floridians voice concerns about increasing fees, expensive lawsuits, and arrest incidents stemming from HOA disagreements.
Lawmaker looks to ban HOAs
Key Information
- Victim: Giovanni Pelletier, 18 years old
- Location of Body: Pond along Interstate-75, Manatee County
- Investigation Status: Ongoing, awaiting toxicology results
- Organization Involved: We Are the Essentials
- Date Missing: August 1
Article original publish date: 2025-08-09 20:30:00
Article source: www.tampabay28.com
Read the full story at the original source: www.tampabay28.com
