Found Deceased Giovanni Pelletier, 18, has been missing in Englewood, Florida August 01 2025

[Lucy6226]

Gosh I can't imagine the panic the mum must have got reading that text. Hope he is found, it doesn't sound good

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If they "wrestled a knife from him," did they turn it over to police? ETA: It needs to be tested and ownership of it actually established.

Well there are quite a few similar cases to this here on Websleuths and if this latest story is true, unfortunately it can be very difficult to find the person sometimes.
They seem to end up near water or a vast rural area, like forest/desert/crop fields, too big to grid-search. But hope this one is different.

Do we have a map-pin where he allegedly took off?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Terrifying text mother received moments before her son disappeared

A teen frantically texted and called his mother in the middle of the night before vanishing last Friday in Florida.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The Daily Mail article says he texted three different relatives asking for help. I wonder if he said anything else in those texts.

It also says his family claims the "cousins" are not helping look for him. If true, and if they are older than him, I can't say I'm very impressed. They had not even known him for a few hours and already suggesting smoking whatever, and he may have felt he had to go along with it. With cousins like these...

 

[Rosiebones]

If he panicked, if he pulled a knife, If he ran off, how did he have the presence of mind to collect his phone, and other things so he could drop them along side the road?
Is there a lot of lakes, ponds or other water where he allegedly ran off?

 

[Chimera]

Can't find a fb for Giovanni either.

 

[GraceG]

Can't find a fb for Giovanni either.

A lot of teens don't have them. I'm regularly told by the grandkids that FB (like Corvettes) is for "OLD people". His Mom is on FB and though there's pictures of him on her page she's never cross-linked to any social media for him.

 

[Chimera]

This sounds like we aren't going to find Giovanni alive and well.
My goodness I hope I am sooo wrong !

Also wanted to add that just because someone is, 'family' ... doesn't always mean they're safe, iykwim ?
Especially if he'd never met them in person -- which it sounds like from the articles, and didn't know what kind of lives they led.
We just don't know at all, but as of now I fear something went terribly wrong for Giovanni.

P{lease let him be ok somehow, somewhere.
However if that was the case I'd assume he'd have contacted his mom by now ?
Nothing but silence.
And it sounds like he was glued to his phone.
Omo.

 

[Chimera]

If he panicked, if he pulled a knife, If he ran off, how did he have the presence of mind to collect his phone, and other things so he could drop them along side the road?
Is there a lot of lakes, ponds or other water where he allegedly ran off?

Did he even own a knife ?
Any knives missing from his mom's house.
My .02 is that there's some truth mingled with possible fabrication in the cousin's story.
Did someone else in that car have a knife ?
Imo.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Did he even own a knife ?
Any knives missing from his mom's house.
My .02 is that there's some truth mingled with possible fabrication in the cousin's story.
Did someone else in that car have a knife ?
Imo.

DBM mistaken info

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Teen Giovanni Pelletier sent haunting text to mom before vanishing on trip to see estranged dad’s family

A North Carolina teenager has been missing for six days while visiting his estranged dad’s family — vanishing soon after sending an alarming text to his mom.

nypost.com

So Giovanni’s paternal grandfather texted his mom letting him know about the smoking/knife incident. I’d be curious to know when he texted her. This article says she saw Giovanni’s messages when she woke up, as well as a call from one of the cousins.

His backpack and phone were found, mom says he would never leave his phone.

I wonder if he has ever smoked marijuana before? Many people have bad side effects. My husband said the first time he smoked marijuana, he lost vision and felt like he was dying. And we know that young men are at highest risk for marijuana triggering psychosis.

ETA: I live not far from where he went missing. I know from living here that occasionally, coke users will sprinkle coke in their blunt. I am wondering if the THC may have been tainted somehow…

 

[GraceG]

Do we know if he flew? There’s no way he had a knife if he just got off a plane.

(Edit to answer my own question: I see his cousins picked him up on ‘the last few days of his vacation’. So I guess it was possible for him to have acquired a knife…?)

Actually, if he checked a bag he could have had a knife. Knives (and guns, if you are otherwise legal to have one) are allowed in CHECKED bags by the TSA (knives would have to be sheathed or wrapped to prevent injury to a bag handler.) If they just came down from North Carolina though, if there were multiple family members traveling, they likely drove. It's cheaper to drive with several people than to fly and rent a car if you're going to be staying more than just a few days.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Actually, if he checked a bag he could have had a knife. Knives (and guns, if you are otherwise legal to have one) are allowed in CHECKED bags by the TSA (knives would have to be sheathed or wrapped to prevent injury to a bag handler.) If they just came down from North Carolina though, if there were multiple family members traveling, they likely drove. It's cheaper to drive with several people than to fly and rent a car if you're going to be staying more than just a few days.

That is very true! I guess I was assuming he just had a carry on. Fair point, thanks.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Family: Teen goes missing while visiting Florida; search stretches to Mims

The disappearance of a teen who was visiting Florida and was headed to visit family in Brevard County prompts search in Mims, Bradenton.

www.floridatoday.com

“More than 20 people joined the Brevard-based search party, which included at least one person with a drone and centered along Hammock Road in Mims.

“We got a bunch of anonymous tips to check this road,” said Morgan Hull, one of the family members and friends who turned out for the search.”

How would he have gotten out of the car in Bradenton and ended up in Mims? It’s like a 2.5 hour drive. He certainly would have needed someone to pick him up, and that would have been an expensive uber/lyft.

Of course, the tips could be meritless at this point.

Also notable are Morgan Hull, the family member mentioned above, Facebook posts and comments.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Actually, if he checked a bag he could have had a knife. Knives (and guns, if you are otherwise legal to have one) are allowed in CHECKED bags by the TSA (knives would have to be sheathed or wrapped to prevent injury to a bag handler.) If they just came down from North Carolina though, if there were multiple family members traveling, they likely drove. It's cheaper to drive with several people than to fly and rent a car if you're going to be staying more than just a few days.

You are right - they drove. I must have been confused - I thought he was from out of state. Thanks!

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Family search for missing 18-year-old traveling to Brevard County

Deputies said he was traveling north on Interstate 75 when, his cousins said, he began acting erratically and got out of the car.

www.wesh.com

“Several family members traveled to Mims, in Brevard County near Hammock Road and Jones Avenue, to search for anything that could lead them to Pelletier. They said they’re focusing on that area because it was his intended destination.”

Charlotte county (Bradenton) and Brevard County (Mims) police are working together. The two counties are about a 2 1/2 hour drive away from each other.

 

[nao]

A lot of teens don't have them. I'm regularly told by the grandkids that FB (like Corvettes) is for "OLD people". His Mom is on FB and though there's pictures of him on her page she's never cross-linked to any social media for him.

Moo...most young people have fb.. but might use alternative name. FB is still easiest quickest place to buy, sell, rent. Also you can private message without data, any free wifi will do...that's the way my family communicates, even if over seas. But my family is definitely not on my friends list.......just in case something weird happens moo

..

 

[Chimera]

Just hoping here that Giovanni is found safe and everything else is worked out later.
It bothers me mightily if they just drove off and left him wandering.
At least call him an Uber or something.
Imo.

 

[Kakidoll]

Family search for missing 18-year-old traveling to Brevard County

Deputies said he was traveling north on Interstate 75 when, his cousins said, he began acting erratically and got out of the car.

www.wesh.com

“Several family members traveled to Mims, in Brevard County near Hammock Road and Jones Avenue, to search for anything that could lead them to Pelletier. They said they’re focusing on that area because it was his intended destination.”

Charlotte county (Bradenton) and Brevard County (Mims) police are working together. The two counties are about a 2 1/2 hour drive away from each other.

Charlotte County is not Bradenton area. Its south of Port Charlotte. Manatee County is Bradenton, Thats why i'm so confused on who is working what at this point.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Charlotte County is not Bradenton area. It’s south of Port Charlotte. Manatee County is Bradenton, Thats why i'm so confused on who is working what at this point.

That is true. But it does say Charlotte and Brevard are working together, not Manatee and Brevard. I’m just not sure why.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Charlotte County is not Bradenton area. Its south of Port Charlotte. Manatee County is Bradenton, Thats why i'm so confused on who is working what at this point.

Family raises reward to $25,000 for any information in case of missing North Carolina teen | FOX 13 Tampa Bay

Giovanni Pelletier’s family raised a reward of $25,000 for any information about the missing teen.

www.fox13news.com

‘Pelletier's cousins told Charlotte County Sheriff’s Deputies Giovanni began acting erratically, got out of the car and walked away near I-75 and State Road 70 in Manatee County.’

Englewood is partly in Charlotte County, partly in Sarasota county. “Pelletier’s aunt Desiree told WRAL the family was in Englewood, Florida, on vacation when Pelletier met up with his cousins early Friday morning.“ according to this article: 'Mom, help': Last text from Fuquay-Varina teen before vanishing in Florida has family concerned

Still confused why Manatee county wouldn’t be involved…

Just to be clear: the ‘cousins’ who picked him up are from Mims. They picked him up in Englewood, and claim they were in the Bradenton area when the event occurred that made Giovanni leave the car.