Boater finds body near Robinson Preserve, cops say. The man had been missing for days

A 59-year-old Bradenton man’s body was found Sunday floating in the Manatee River near Robinson Preserve, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a sheriff’s office incident report dated Sunday, a deputy responded to nearby Blenker Marina at 2504 88th St. Court NW around 1:15 p.m. after a boater reported finding the body in the water.

The sheriff’s office marine unit responded to retrieve the body of Ricardo Velazquez Rodriguez and detectives from the criminal investigation division and the sheriff’s office crime scene unit responded to assume the investigation.

Velazquez Rodriguez had been reported missing on Friday to the Palmetto Police Department.

It’s being called a death investigation but, “It doesn’t appear to be suspicious,” sheriff’s spokesman Randy Warren said. “No signs of trauma.”

According to public records, Velazquez Rodriguez had held fishing and boating licenses since 2002, but it was unclear what he was doing at the time of his death or how and why he ended up in the water.

There were no details as to where he may have entered the water.

At the time he went missing, Velazquez Rodriguez was in a “confused state of mind,” according to Facebook posts written by family members.

A post from his daughter, just after her father was found deceased, said he was last seen at the police department and was in a confused state of mind. His daughter reports he left the police station on foot on Friday and that was the last time he was seen.

Palmetto police did not immediately return a call for comment.

It remains unclear how he ended up near Robinson Preserve from Palmetto but the post from his daughter after he went missing reads, “Our hearts hurt ... All I want for my birthday is to find my dad and bring him home!”

According to other family members, they don’t have enough money to pay for a funeral. A gofundme page has been started by another family member and has raised $500 toward its $5,100 goal in about 24 hours.

“I never though that I would ever start one of these,” the family member writes on the page. “Although my family is in distress, we do not have enough money to fund my father’s funeral. We need all the help we can get!”

This story was originally published November 5, 2019 at 1:09 PM.