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BRADENTON, Fla. - A medical examiner has yet to make a positive identification of Giovanni Pelletier, the 18-year-old who went missing in Florida on Aug. 1, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.
The District 12 Medical Examiner's Office says that further forensic testing is needed since the body is in an advanced state of decomposition.
On Saturday, detectives made the preliminary determination that the decomposed body found in a retention pond on Friday was Pelletier.
Pelletier's cousin, Morgan Hull, also told FOX 35 News that the body found did indeed belong to her cousin.
Detectives said they believe that Pelletier's body had been in the water for several days before floating to the surface.
REALATED: Body of Giovanni Pelletier, teen missing in Florida, found after more than a week: Officials
What you can do:
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number (941) 639-2101.
The backstory:
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has been working this case alongside the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office since Pelletier was reported missing on August 1 near the east side of Interstate 75 at State Road 70.
Pelletier was vacationing in Englewood with family from North Carolina when he went to go visit relatives on Florida’s east coast.
He got into a vehicle with a cousin from his biological father’s side of the family, along with two of the cousin's friends, but according to relatives, Giovanni had never met the men in person. He had only spoken to one cousin on the phone before.
RELATED: Search underway for missing 18-year-old last seen in Manatee County
After reconnecting with his biological father’s side of the family, Pelletier made plans for his cousins to pick him up to see additional family in Brevard County.
About 25 minutes into the car ride, Pelletier sent a message to his mother: "Help me."
He also sent similar messages to other family members.
That's when Brevard County deputies say his cousins told them that Pelletier began acting erratically before exiting the vehicle and walking away near State Road 70 in Manatee County.
His phone and backpack were the only things found and Pelletier was not heard from again.
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The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.