Florida officials confirmed on Thursday that a body discovered in a pond last week is a North Carolina man who vanished almost two weeks ago.
According to WFTS, the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office in Manatee County used dental records to identify the body recovered from a retention pond as Giovanni Pelletier, 18. His decomposed body was found there on August 8, seven days after he reportedly vanished while traveling with his paternal cousins to Brevard County.
Pelletier and his mother’s family were vacationing in Englewood when he planned for his cousins to take him to meet more of his family’s family. Pelletier, who was last seen in Mims, reportedly vanished near State Road 70 in Manatee County.
Pelletier’s cousins said he was acting erratically during the car ride before he randomly exited the vehicle. However, Pelletier reportedly sent his mother a text reading, “Help me,” about 20 minutes into the car ride. He allegedly sent similar messages to other family members.
Before his body was discovered, Pelletier’s backpack and cellphone were found near where he was last seen on August 1. Detectives believe Pelletier’s body had been in the retention pond for days before it floated to the surface.
Manatee County police said Pelletier’s cause of death is undetermined as toxicology testing can take weeks to complete. However, they said foul play is not suspected in his death.
No arrests have been made. An investigation is ongoing.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
