BRADENTON, Fla. (WWSB) – The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office announced on Monday that the body discovered in a pond near the I-75 off-ramp at State Road 70 on August 8 is likely that of an 18-year-old who went missing on August 1.
Although an official identification hasn’t been confirmed, “All indications point to it being Giovanni Pelletier, who disappeared from Charlotte County about a week ago,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren in an interview with ABC7.
According to the family, Giovanni was vacationing in Englewood. He was traveling with cousins to visit family in Brevard County when he reportedly started behaving erratically.
Pelletier was last noticed around 1:30 a.m. on August 1, walking away from a vehicle parked on northbound I-75 near State Road 70.
ORIGINAL COVERAGE | Charlotte County deputies searching for missing teen last seen near SR70
A memorial cross has been placed at the site where the partially decomposed body was found on August 8, partially submerged in a retention pond near the last known location of Giovanni.
The cause of death remains undetermined. While the body was significantly decomposed, Warren stated that the medical examiner did not find any obvious indications of foul play. These aspects are among several questions that investigators are seeking to clarify.
“There are numerous questions. We’re unsure of his mental state when he exited that vehicle,” said Warren.
A family member discovered the body while searching the area. “A family member was there Friday afternoon and noticed something in the grass,” he added.
It is believed that he may have been submerged for several days before surfacing.
The other individuals in the vehicle who last saw Giovanni have since reached Brevard County. Warren mentioned that they have provided statements to investigators there.
“We need to understand what transpired before Giovanni exited that vehicle,” Warren emphasized. “What was his state of mind? Was he experiencing something that caused him to act differently? Did he run across the highway, as some have suggested? How did he end up in the pond? These are the questions we aim to answer.”
In the meantime, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office informed ABC7 on Monday that even though a body has been located in Manatee County, they remain the leading investigators in the matter.
“The body found in Manatee County has not been positively identified as Giovanni, so there have been no updates at this point,” said Charlotte County Sheriff’s spokesman Christopher Hall in an email.
“We are still receiving tips on Giovanni’s whereabouts even now,” Hall added. “We continue to pursue these leads. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to reach out to their local law enforcement.”
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MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has stated that an autopsy could confirm the identity of the body found in a retention pond on August 8 as missing 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier.
Law enforcement agencies discovered the decomposed body in a retention pond off I-75 and State Road 70 approximately a week after Giovanni Pelletier was last seen “acting erratically” while traveling to visit family and then exiting the vehicle.
Investigators have preliminarily identified the body as Giovanni Pelletier and assured that the family has been kept “informed of developments.” However, confirmation of identity and cause of death are pending, with autopsy results expected on Sunday, August 10.
The sheriff’s office has not indicated when the autopsy results will be released, and the investigation remains ongoing.
If you wish to assist the Pelletier family during this challenging period, you can visit the GoFundMe page set up in Giovanni’s memory.
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MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – The Manatee County Sheriff has preliminarily recognized the body discovered in a retention pond off I-75 and State Road 70 as that of missing 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier.
Positive identification and cause of death are still awaited pending autopsy results, scheduled for August 10.
Giovanni Pelletier is believed to have been seen last on Friday, August 1, walking away from a vehicle near State Road 70 in Manatee County while heading north on I-75.
The family informed law enforcement that Giovanni was traveling with his cousins to visit relatives when he suddenly “began acting erratically, exited the vehicle, and walked away.”
The Manatee County Sheriff confirmed that the investigation is still ongoing.
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VENICE, Fla. (WWSB) – A body has been located in a pond off of I-75 and State Road 70, close to the area where a missing 18-year-old was last spotted, as confirmed by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren reported that a decomposed body, presumed to be male, was found in a retention pond near the southbound off-ramp of the interstate.
Warren noted that authorities cannot yet confirm the identity of the body, but the sheriff’s office has been updating the family of 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier “about developments” in the investigation.
By 6 p.m., Warren stated that efforts to recover the body from the lake were ongoing, hindered by heavy afternoon rains.
Pelletier was last seen around 1:30 a.m. on August 1, walking away from a vehicle near State Road 70 in Manatee County.
According to the family, Giovanni was vacationing in Englewood. He was visiting family and traveling with cousins when it is believed he “began acting erratically, exited the vehicle, and walked away.”
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