Discovery Of Teen’s Body Sparks Homicide Investigation

RIVERVIEW, FL — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced Saturday that the body recovered from Triple Creek Nature Preserve July 12 belongs to missing teen Janessa Shannon. The agency reports her death is being investigated as a homicide.

Shannon, 13, of Riverview, was last seen on July 2. News of her disappearance broke Friday, July 14 as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children became involved in the search for the teenager.

The sheriff’s office reported on Wednesday, July 12, that a body had been discovered by a hiker in the 13305 Balm Boyette Road nature preserve. The body was found in a heavily wooded area around 9:41 a.m., the sheriff’s office said.

While the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the identity of the body, information about Shannon’s cause of death has not been released. The sheriff’s office will only say detectives are “actively working the case as a homicide,” according to a Saturday email from the agency.

Further information is not available at this time.

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