Body Of Missing FL Mom Found In Shallow Grave, Ex-Boyfriend Arrested

SANTA ROSA COUNTY, FL — The search for a missing Florida mother has come to a sad ending. According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, detectives located the body of 37-year-old Cassie Carli in a shallow grave Saturday evening in Alabama.

“It’s not the ending that we wanted, obviously, but we’re hoping to provide a little bit of closure for the family," Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson said during a news conference.

Carli was last seen alive March 27 in the parking lot of Juanas Pagoda, a restaurant in Navarre Beach. She was there to meet her ex-boyfriend, Marcus Spanevelo, the sheriff said. The pair shared a 4-year-old daughter.

“They met there to do a child exchange. That was the last time that we know of that Cassie was seen," Johnson said early in the investigation.

Carli's car was found two days later in the parking lot at the restaurant.

“What we found concerning was inside the car was Cassie’s purse. And as you know, most women don’t leave their purse behind when they go somewhere," Johnson said.

Spanevelo was ultimately arrested in Lebanon, Tennessee, according to the sheriff's office. He is charged with tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing persons investigation and destruction of evidence.

So far, Sheriff Johnson said Spanevelo has refused to cooperate with authorities and has even gone as far as saying that he is behaving like a "dirt bag."

"All he said was 'lawyer.' That’s all he said," the sheriff said during a news conference. "It’s your baby’s mother, and you’re not going to cooperate with authorities? That’s kind of telling.”

Johnson said it was a unique tattoo on Carli's body that helped detectives identify her. At this time, the sheriff is not revealing how investigators were able to locate Carli's body; however, they said her ex-boyfriend has a connection to the property.

Once an autopsy of Carli's body in Huntsville, Alabama, is complete, the sheriff said Spanevelo could face additional charges, including murder.

While additional charges will ultimately be up to Santa Rosa County's state attorney, Johnson said he believes his investigators have a solid case against Spanevelo.

“I think either he is going to spend the rest of his life in jail or he’s going to get the needle, hopefully, the needle," Johnson said.

The sheriff added that the couple's young daughter is safe and with family.