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Family of Giovanni Pelletier seeks answers in teen's death
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the death of 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, whose body was found Friday in a pond near State Road 70, a week after he disappeared while on vacation. Though his body was recovered in Manatee County, he had ties to the Central Florida community, and his family is demanding a thorough investigation.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the death of 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, whose body was found Friday in a pond near State Road 70, a week after he disappeared while on vacation.
What we know:
Giovanni Pelletier, 18, was found dead in a pond near State Road 70 in Manatee County a week after disappearing while on vacation.
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He was last seen exiting his cousin’s car on the side of a highway in the early morning hours of Aug. 1, reportedly acting erratically. Multiple Florida law enforcement agencies, including the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, assisted in the search.
How Giovanni ended up in the pond remains unclear. Details about the exact circumstances leading to his death are still under investigation. No suspects have been named among the people he was with that night.
The backstory:
Giovanni had ties to the Central Florida community and was traveling with cousins towards Brevard County before his disappearance. He sent a text message to his mother asking for help shortly before he went missing.
Big picture view:
The family is demanding a thorough investigation and answers about the circumstances of Giovanni’s death. The case highlights the community’s concern for safety and the need for clarity in unexplained deaths.
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Timeline:
On August 1, Giovanni Pelletier was last seen exiting his cousin’s car around 1:30 a.m. near State Road 70 and later sent a text to his mother asking for help. Giovanni’s body was discovered in a pond near State Road 70 a week later.
What they're saying:
Giovanni Pelletier's cousin, Morgan Hull, said the family wants justice.
"We got the worst news in the world, and we just want answers. We want to know what happened," she said.
Hull said the family is requesting that the Federal Bureau of Investigation get involved.
"We want this investigation to be completely thorough. We don’t want anything missed," she said.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said that none of the people Giovanni was with the night he disappeared have been named as suspects. It added that a dedicated team is using "every available tool and resource to determine the events that led up to the discovery of the body.
The sheriff's office added that it is awaiting final results of a comprehensive forensic testing.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and Giovanni Pelletier's cousin, Morgan Hull.