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**MANATEE COUNTY, FL** — The family of 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, whose body was discovered in a retention pond off Interstate 75 during a vacation in Florida, is advocating for FBI involvement in the case.
Giovanni, from North Carolina, went missing after leaving Englewood in the early hours of August 1 to visit family in Brevard County, as the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported. His family expresses frustration over the law enforcement’s handling of the search for him.
“(He) went missing in Florida after being picked up by relatives he had never met. Hours later, a trucker found his phone and backpack on the highway in Manatee County. Despite Giovanni’s desperate ‘help me’ text to his mother and other family members, law enforcement failed to treat the case with urgency,” reads a Change.org petition started by his family. “For eight days, his family searched without adequate support, until August 8, when a family friend — not police — discovered his body in a nearby retention pond. Giovanni’s family, friends, and community are shattered and deserve the truth.”
The petition emphasizes, “This case spans multiple counties, involves suspected gang affiliations and may include interstate elements — all reasons why the FBI should be involved. Without proper investigation, key evidence may be lost forever, and those responsible may never be held accountable. Allowing misinformation and investigative gaps to stand sets a dangerous precedent for every missing person case in Florida and beyond.”
A family friend searching near I-75 at State Road 70 found the partially submerged body at the edge of the retention pond on August 8 around 3:15 p.m., according to a statement from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Based on evidence at the scene, detectives preliminarily identified the decomposed body as Giovanni.
During an autopsy conducted Sunday, the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office could not positively identify the body due to decomposition, necessitating forensic testing for confirmation.
No signs of foul play or trauma were found during the autopsy, but the cause of death remains unknown. Giovanni’s cousins, who picked him up around 1:30 a.m., reported that he began acting erratically while traveling north on I-75 before exiting the vehicle and walking away near State Road 70 in Manatee County. His mother, Bridgette Pelletier, was asleep when her son left with his cousins. When she woke after 6 a.m., she saw that she had missed calls and texts from Giovanni, including one that simply read, “Mom help.”
One of his cousins also tried contacting her, and she later learned that Giovanni had called her sister and father for help as well. His paternal grandfather left her a voicemail reporting an altercation between the teen and his cousins, who abandoned him on the roadside in Bradenton.
In a report to People, Bridgette mentioned that the cousin who attempted to call her informed her that they had smoked marijuana before Giovanni panicked, cursing and pulling out a knife during their roadside stop, before running off after they took the knife away.
His mother insists this behavior does not reflect who her son truly was. Now, the family is determined to seek answers regarding Giovanni’s disappearance and death.
“The clock is ticking. Evidence degrades, memories fade, and the trail grows colder with each passing day. We demand an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation — with FBI involvement — to ensure justice for Giovanni and safety for our communities,” states the family’s petition. “His life mattered. His story matters. The public must act now to demand truth, accountability, and justice.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser has raised nearly $30,000 for the family as of Tuesday afternoon, aimed at supporting funeral, medical, and legal expenses during this heartbreaking time.
“Any funds raised now will provide crucial support to cover costs as we struggle to honor his memory through this unimaginable heartbreak,” the family stated.
Key Information
- Victim: Giovanni Pelletier, 18 years old
- Location: Retention pond off I-75, Manatee County, FL
- Date Missing: August 1, 2023
- Body Found: August 8, 2023
- Cause of Death: Unknown (pending forensic testing)
- Request for Investigation: Family is calling for FBI involvement
- Fundraising: Nearly $30,000 raised via GoFundMe for funeral and legal costs
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Article original publish date: 2025-08-12 07:00:00
Article source: patch.com
Read the full story at the original source: patch.com
