Preliminary ID of body found in Florida is missing NC teen. Autopsy planned.

A body discovered Friday in Florida “is preliminarily determined” to be Giovanni Pelletier, 18, who family members reported missing Aug. 1.

But an autopsy conducted Sunday was unable to confirm that, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Department press release. Due to the condition of the body, which was found in a retention pond, more forensic tests will be needed.

“No foul play or trauma was found during the autopsy,” the release noted, adding that toxicology testing could deliver insight into the cause of death.

A family member searching for Pelletier a week after he went missing spotted what looked like a body in a retention pond at the southbound off-ramp of Interstate 75 and SR 70, according to the sheriff’s department. Detectives believe the body had been submerged before floating to the surface, the release said.

The pond was not far from where Pelletier’s backpack had been found, according to ABC 11, The News & Observer’s news partner.

ABC 11 previously reported that Pelletier graduated from Fuquay-Varina High School and went missing in Florida early on Aug. 1 after meeting up with family he had not spent time with before.

Pelletier was visiting Florida with his mother and her fiance and wanted to reconnect with relatives from his father’s family, Desiree Pelletier, who is Giovanni’s aunt and a sister of his mother, ABC 11 previously reported.

The aunt said three young men picked him up at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 to take him on a three-hour drive to their house in Mims, Florida, ABC 11 previously reported.

His family was told he was dropped off instead in Bradenton, Florida, which is in Manatee County, ABC 11 reported.

Mims is in Brevard County. During a press conference on Friday, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said his department had spoken with the three who picked up Pelletier in Charlotte County and they said he’d acted “kind of out of control”.

Department members examined the vehicle driven to pick up Pelletier and found “no evidence” of foul play, the sheriff said.

The sheriff said he was aware that Pelletier had texted his mother asking for help that night.

This story was updated Sunday, Aug. 10, with information provided by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Department

This story was originally published August 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM.