Overview

• A body was retrieved Friday from a retention pond at the I-75 southbound off-ramp at State Road 70, close to where Giovanni’s belongings were located on August 1.
• Manatee County authorities say the remains appear to be male and have sent dental records and DNA samples for confirmation of identity.
• Investigators are reviewing conflicting accounts from Giovanni’s paternal cousins concerning erratic behavior, an alleged knife altercation and his abandonment on the roadside.
• Volunteer teams and the nonprofit group We Are The Essentials have expanded search efforts across Sarasota, Manatee and Brevard counties in light of the new discovery.
• The Pelletier family has raised the reward to $25,000 and continues to press law enforcement over perceived delays as forensic tests proceed.