Manatee County, FL — The body of 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, who disappeared while on a family vacation in Florida, has been found, his family confirmed.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Giovanni’s body was discovered Friday near where his backpack had been located, in a retention pond at the southbound off-ramp of Interstate 75 and State Road 70 in Manatee County, near Bradenton. The location had been searched by authorities on the first day of search efforts.
The discovery was ultimately made not by law enforcement, but by a private investigation group hired by the Pelletier family.