Sister Of John Larson Says Brother Taught Her To 'Live, Love, Dance'

TAMPA, FL — The sister of a 24-year-old father of a 6-month-old baby girl who was found dead after being missing for more than a month has set up a fundraiser to help pay his funeral expenses.

A body found Wednesday around 6:30 p.m. in the 900 block of South 20th Street was positively identified as that of John Larson, who went missing from the Ybor City area April 27.

Joann Caffrey, Larson's sister, said her family had been desperately searching for him after he mysteriously disappeared on his way to meet friends at a bar in Ybor City.

They appealed to the media and offered a $5,000 reward on top of the $5,000 reward already being offered by Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay for information leading to Larson's whereabouts.

Caffrey said it was during this frantic search that the family was contacted by The Essentials, a nonprofit group made up of former career law enforcement officers and military veterans trained in surveillance, intelligence gathering and recovery operations.

Caffrey said it was members of The Essentials who ultimately found Larson's body inside an enclosed area of a commercial business parking lot where a dumpster was located.

"Without them, I don't think that police or anyone would have found John," Caffrey said. "I can never thank them enough."

Although the members of The Essentials prefer to remain anonymous, Caffrey felt that lead investigator, identified only as "Nico," especially deserved credit for working tirelessly on her brother's case.

"Every single day he was on the ground," she said. "His determination was inspiring. He cared about John genuinely from Day 1. I cannot be more thankful."

On April 27, Larson texted his friends just before midnight to tell them he had parked in Ybor City and was on his way to the bar where they'd arranged to meet, but he never showed up,

Surveillance video captured Larson's blue pickup truck turning left onto North 15th Street from East Palm Avenue around 11:30 that night.

Police later found his truck abandoned near East 11th Avenue.

Police conducted a number of searches using K9s but were unable to find any clues.

The first new development in the case occurred last weekend when police said Larson's Florida driver's license was found stuck in a fence at DeSoto Park in Pinellas County, the same location where his cell phone last pinged.

Police also recovered a shirt resembling the one Larson was wearing the night he disappeared from a dock at the park.

Ironically, it was the same park The Essentials also searched during their efforts to locate Brian Laundrie, who was implicated in the death of Gabby Patito.

Police said there were no signs to suggest foul play in Larson's case and are awaiting a full toxicology report from the Hillsborough County medical examiner.

"This is not the outcome we hoped for as we searched for John," said Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor after Larson's body was found. "Our thoughts are with his family during this time of grieving, and I have made our police chaplains available for any assistance they may need."

Caffrey said her family is devastated.

"I didn’t think I would wake up on a random Wednesday morning and get a call that John never came home, and spend more than a month searching, just to find him not here with us anymore," she said. "You don’t know what tomorrow holds."

She gave Patch permission to share a message to her brother she posted on her Facebook page.

"I can’t even find the right words to explain how sad and lonely I feel knowing I’ll never be able to laugh it up, smoke and chill with you again," she said. "I wasn’t able to have more than 24 years with you, but, man, we’ve been through a lot together, John, during the 24 years we did have. You’re my little brother, but I swear you taught me so much — to let go and not worry so much, to live a little, to laugh, to dance anytime you want, and to really be present in the moment."

See related stories:

• Tragic Outcome Reported In Search For Missing Tampa Man
• Brian Laundrie: Father Helps Search Thursday; Campsite Found
• Arrest Made In Kathleen Moore Missing Person Case

Caffrey said she's especially sad that Larson's daughter, Scarlett, won't grow up with him.

"I know you were so excited to teach her about cars and scare off the boys when she got older and just watch her personality develop as she got older. We’ll watch over her, John, I promise," Caffrey said.

After finding out that scammers had set up fake fundraisers for her brother in her name, Caffrey is raising money for her brother's cremation and memorial service through her own Venmo (@larsonjoann) and Paypal (joanncaffrey@icloud.com) accounts.

"I plan to have John cremated (his wish) within the next few days, which is approximately $1,000, possibly a little more," she said. "I also want to have a memorial service for John, but John-style, no sad funeral home with slow music. We have to live for John. That is what he stood for. So funds will be used toward the supplies, music and festivities that we will have to celebrate John's life."

Caffrey also asked that the community remember The Essentials in their charitable giving. The members pay their own travel, hotel and other expenses when following up on a case.

The Essentials were formed in Florida more than 25 years ago to aid police investigations, especially cold cases involving missing people.

Among the cases they investigated is the search for Brian Laundrie in Florida after the body of his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, was found in August.

The Essentials found evidence that Brian Laundrie and his family had camped at Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County and searched the park's more than 1,136 acres and five interconnected islands. The Essentials then turned their attention to the Carlton Preserve in Sarasota County where they ultimately found Laundrie dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Oct. 20.

The Essentials were also instrumental in locating the body of missing Tampa woman, Kathleen Moore, in a wooded area in Pasco County on Dec. 6.