Missing Florida mom Cassie Carli's sister says cell phone has not yet been recovered as search for answers continues
Cassie Carli's sister speaks about the young mother's history with her child's father; Police spokesman says the investigation remains "extremely" active.
NAVARRE BEACH, Fla. – Dozens of volunteers gathered in Navarre Beach, Florida, on Saturday for the sixth day of searching for any answers as to the whereabouts of missing mother Cassie Carli, who was last seen nearly a week ago.
An estimated 50 volunteers braved the wind and sporadic rain to join the search on Saturday morning, with some saying they were coming from out of state, including Texas. Those who searched on foot traversed through weeds, high grass, briars, sand dunes, and areas that could be inhabited by snakes, or even bears, said a volunteer who is close to the family. Those who are searching via paddle boards or jet skis have been told to watch out for sharks and other dangerous marine life, he said.
"The goal is to prevent anyone else from getting injured or sick or anything like that," the person said.
The volunteer, who asked to remain anonymous, is one of the people leading the coordination efforts alongside Carli’s family.
The search day has consistently begun at the parking lot for Juana’s Pagodas, near the Navarre Beach water tower. All volunteers have been instructed to start there – which the volunteer referred to as "ground zero" – before being assigned to a search area that now extends to Panama City Beach, where Spanevelo has been said to have resided at some point.
The family says it is conducting its search efforts in coordination and communication with law enforcement agencies, which are working a separate, multi-state investigation and search with the help of the FBI.
Carli, 37, disappeared after meeting the father of their 4-year-old daughter, on Sunday evening, when the pair had arranged to switch custody in the parking lot of the local watering hole Juana’s Pagodas.
The man, Marcus Spanevelo, was arrested Saturday in Tennessee on Saturday on charges of tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing persons investigation, and destruction of evidence. Spanevelo has not been charged with murder.
Sheriff Bob Johnson said they believe he was the last person to have seen Carli. On Thursday, Johnson said investigators located Spanevelo more than four hours and over 260 miles away in Birmingham, Alabama, where they questioned him and were able to check in on the couple’s daughter. Spanevelo did not respond to Fox News Digital’s multiple requests seeking comment and information prior to his arrest.
"We’re searching for Cassie," the volunteer said. "We are not assuming she’s deceased, we are not assuming she’s a hostage. We're not assuming that she’s been put into the trafficking world … We’re looking for Cassie."
The volunteer said searchers have so far encountered flip-flops, tarps, and even a machete and a knife, but nothing that has been particularly useful in the investigation.
"I wish I could say we found the piece of evidence," he went on.
He described how in one instance a search team found "a trail of blood."
"In our opinion, it was more than someone cutting their foot on the beach and walking back to their car," he said. "At the same time, it was like, ‘Well, maybe it was a fish.’" One of the other volunteers saved a sample in case it was needed later, but law enforcement investigators doubted the findings were relevant to the case.
When asked about the discoveries, Santa Rosa County Sheriff Sgt. Rich Aloy told Fox News Digital on Saturday, "Everything that has been brought to our attention has been thoroughly considered for our investigation."
Locals have been passing through the volunteer meet-up site with donations of food, water and search equipment. Others have towed their boats or jetskis to the area to assist with the search.
The Carli family says they are desperately seeking any camera footage from the area around Juana’s Pagodas on Sunday evening into Monday, as well as for more volunteers to assist in the search.
Speaking to Fox News Digital on Friday, Carli’s younger sister, Raeann, said the family remains "hopeful."
"We are still searching for Cassie," she said. "We are still looking diligently at any and everything … We’re gonna pick up. We got more people joining the search party, and it’s only gonna get bigger, and we’re only gonna find Cassie. That’s the end goal."
Carli created a GoFundMe page to bolster the family’s efforts to find Cassie. As of Saturday afternoon, the page had garnered over $6,300 of its $15,000 goal.
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Meanwhile, the local Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of more than $3,000 for any information leading investigators to Cassie. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 850-437-STOP.
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