Cassie Carli, 37, disappeared after a planned custody exchange on the evening of March 27, 2022. The exchange was scheduled in the parking lot of Juana’s Pagoda restaurant in Navarre Beach, Florida. Her car was later found at the meeting spot, but she did not return, prompting a week-long search by family, friends, and law enforcement.

On April 2, 2022, investigators located Carli’s body buried in a shallow grave inside a barn in Springville, Alabama, on property with ties to Marcus Spanevelo, the child’s father. Court documents say DNA was recovered under her fingernails and ratchet straps were found on her body; surveillance allegedly shows Spanevelo buying the same type of straps hours before she went missing. Authorities say Spanevelo took Carli’s phone and sent messages posing as her before disposing of it.

Spanevelo was arrested the day Carli’s body was found and initially charged in Florida with tampering with evidence, destruction of evidence, and providing false information; Alabama charged him with abuse of a corpse. A federal grand jury in Alabama later indicted him on kidnapping resulting in death; he pleaded not guilty and has remained in custody. The autopsy ruled Carli’s cause and manner of death undetermined. Prosecutors were seeking the death penalty as of February 2024, and defense motions and extensions were pending.

If anyone knew Cassie, her routines, or saw the Juana’s Pagoda parking lot on March 27, 2022, please share information that might help investigators.