Manatee deputies investigating death after body found in pond, sheriff says
A death investigation is underway in Manatee County after deputies found a body in a retention pond, the sheriff’s office said Friday evening.
Deputies said they found the body in a retention pond at the southbound off-ramp of Interstate 75 and State Road 70 in Bradenton and that the person appears to be a man, though they have not confirmed the person’s identity.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active, and no other details were available Friday.
Saturday, Aug. 9 update: Around 4:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office announced that detectives identified the man as 18-year-old Giovanni Pelletier, who went missing in Charlotte County last week. His cause of death has not been determined.
This story was originally published August 8, 2025 at 7:09 PM.
