Missing Fla. Mom Cassie Carli's Body Found in Grave Inside Ala. Barn with 'Connection' to Ex, Police Say
Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Florida
The body of a missing Florida woman has been found one week after she went missing, according to authorities.
Cassie Carli, 37, was discovered by police Saturday evening in a shallow grave found inside a barn in Alabama while executing a search warrant on the property, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said at a Sunday press conference that aired on WEAR-TV.
Carli's ex-boyfriend Marcus Spanevelo has "a connection" to the property, Johnson said at Sunday's press conference. Authorities confirmed Carli's identity by using a tattoo on her body, Johnson noted. An autopsy will be conducted on Monday.
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"It's not the ending that we wanted obviously, but we're hoping to provide a little closure to the family," the sheriff explained.
Carli was last seen on March 27 with her 4-year-old daughter Saylor around 7 p.m. local time on Navarre Beach, where she was expected to conduct a custody exchange with Spanevelo, PEOPLE previously reported.
Both the mom and Saylor vanished afterward, though Saylor was found safe two days later, according to officials.
Carli's ex, Spanevelo, was arrested Friday in Lebanon, Tenn., by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office announced in a press release shared on Facebook.
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The Maury County Sheriff's Office told WEAR-TV that Spanevelo was booked into jail Friday evening around 11 p.m. local time.
Spanevelo was booked into jail on three charges: tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing persons investigation, and destruction of evidence.
cassie carli/facebook Cassie Carli
Johnson told reporters Sunday that Spanevelo allegedly took Carli's cell phone and disposed of the item, which has since been recovered from an undisclosed location. The sheriff alleged that Spanevelo "lied a couple times in different scenarios" and "never cooperated" with authorities investigating Carli's case.
Regarding Spanevelo's alleged resistance to the investigation, Johnson said, "It's your baby mother and she's missing — and you're not going to cooperate with authorities? That's kind of tell-tale."
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Relatives and friends told detectives that no one had heard from Carli since 10 p.m. Sunday night when the woman's father received a text message from her phone that said she was experiencing car and phone trouble.
On Tuesday, Carli's car was recovered from Juana's Boat Ramp on Navarre Beach. That same day, the SRCSO officially announced Carli as a missing and endangered person.
At Sunday's press conference, Johnson told reporters that officials believe Spanevelo acted alone and expect him to be extradited in the future. He later alluded to further charges being filed against Spanevelo.
"We have definitely got a great case, and I think that once the autopsy's done and you see the charges filed, you'll understand," Johnson said. "But I think we have a great case and I think he's going to either spend the rest of his life in prison or get the needle. Hopefully the needle."
The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
