The body of missing Florida woman Cassie Carli was found this weekend in Alabama.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson on Sunday said Carli’s body was found Saturday night in a shallow grave. The sheriff did not say where the body was found but named the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and the Springville Police Department as assisting in the search.
He said the body was identified by a tattoo and said an autopsy will be performed Monday in Huntsville.
St. Clair County Sheriff Billy Murray said his office assisted in the investigation but decline to say where Carli’s body was found. He referred questions to Santa Rosa sheriff’s officials and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Johnson said investigators received information about the possible location of Carli’s body and carried out a search warrant at the undisclosed location. The property is linked, the sheriff said, to Carli’s ex-boyfriend Marcus Spanevelo, who has been living and working in the Birmingham area in recent months.
A house in Springville, Alabama, believed to be connected to the death of Florida woman Cassie Carli. Law enforcement officials said her body was found April 2. Credit Joe Songer for AL.com
A barn in Springville, Alabama, believed to be connected to the death of Florida woman Cassie Carli. Law enforcement officials said her body was found April 2. Credit Joe Songer for AL.com
Specifically, Spanevelo is believed to have been working as a subcontractor with an audio visual company in the Springville area.
Spanevelo has not been charged in Carli’s death, but is charged with tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing persons investigation and destruction of evidence. The tampering charge, Johnson said, deals with Carli’s cell phone.
“He took her phone and basically got rid of it,’’ the Florida sheriff said. The phone has been recovered, he said, but declined to elaborate.
Spanevelo was taken into custody Saturday in Tennessee. He remains there awaiting extradition.
The sheriff said he expects more charges against Spanevelo.
Johnson said Spanevelo has not been cooperative in the investigation and has said only one word – “lawyer.”
“He’s been acting like a dirt bag,’’ the sheriff said.
“He never cooperated with us at all,’’ Johnson said. “Think about it. It’s your baby’s mother and she’s missing and you’re not going to cooperate with authorities. That’s kind of telltale.”
Carli disappeared March 27 after meeting Spanevelo in a restaurant parking lot in Navarre, Florida to turn over their daughter, Saylor, to him for a visit.
Carli had not been seen or heard from since then.
On Monday, March 28, Carli’s father reported her missing to Santa Rosa sheriff’s authorities.
The following day, her vehicle was found in the parking lot behind the Juana’s Pagodas restaurant where the pair had met for the child exchange.
“What we found concerning was inside that car was Cassie’s purse,’’ the sheriff said.
“As you know, most women don’t leave their purse behind when they go somewhere. That caused us a little concern.”
On Wednesday, three detectives from Santa Rosa County drove to Birmingham to interview Spanevelo.
“They made contact with (him) and also Saylor, the daughter,’’ Johnson said. “They called out Alabama child services who checked over the girl and that was that.”
It wasn’t immediately clear Sunday where Saylor is – there have been conflicting statements as to whether she’s in the custody of child protective services or back with family – but she is unharmed.
Investigators initially returned to Florida without arresting Spanevelo, Johnson on Thursday said.
Alabama court records show an arrest warrant for Spanevelo was issued in March after he failed to show up in court in St. Clair County on a speeding ticket.
He got that ticket on Dec. 15, 2021, when he was stopped for driving 97 mph in an area zoned for 70 mph.
The sheriff said the department’s entire Major Crimes Unit – which is made up of 10 detectives – has been working around the clock on the case. The FBI also joined the effort.
Johnson said he met Sunday morning with Carli’s family to notify them of her death. He said it went “as you would expect it to.”
“They’re crushed,” he said. “It gives them some closure because they know where she’s at now, but still it’s their daughter, sister. It is terrible.”
The sheriff had harsh words for Spanevelo.
“I think either he’s going to spend the rest of his life in prison or he’s going to get the needle,’’ Johnson said. “Hopefully the needle.”
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 911 or Santa Rosa County Crime Stoppers at 850-437-STOP.
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