Woman Found Dead In Barn Linked To Allegedly Abusive Ex Told Family ‘If Anything Happens To Me, It’s Him’
Her sister says she felt 'extremely unsafe' with him.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Cassie Carli, a Florida woman who has been found dead in Alabama, had previously raised concerns about her “abusive” ex-boyfriend before she disappeared.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson confirmed that Carli’s remains were located in Springville on Saturday evening on a property that is linked to her ex, Marcus Spanevelo.
"We discovered her body while executing a search warrant in Alabama. It was in a barn, in a shallow grave," Johnson told reporters.
Volunteers who have been following the case since Carli was reported missing after failing to return from a meet-up with her ex on Sunday, March 27, have been expressing their devastation online.
Some have raised questions about Spanevelo’s past and previous allegations made by Carli.
Does Marcus Spanevelo have a criminal history?
Spanevelo does not have a known criminal history. However, he is currently facing charges of tampering with evidence, giving false information concerning a missing persons investigation and destruction of evidence following his arrest in Tennesse on Friday.
Investigators have not disclosed the specifics of these charges nor how they relate to the case.
More charges are pending the results of an autopsy on Carli’s body.
Cassie Carli previously accused Marcus Spanevelo of abuse.
In August 2021, Carli’s sister, Raeann, created a GoFundMe to raise money for Carli’s legal fees during her custody battle with Spanevelo.
Carli and Spanevelo, a Brazilian national living in the US, share a 4-year-old daughter Saylor, who was located with Spanevelo after Carli was reported missing.
The description of the fundraiser contains an account from Carli about the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Saylor’s father.
She describes him as “abusive” and “narcissistic” and claims he manipulated her throughout their relationship and her pregnancy before she ended the relationship after their daughter was born.
However, the alleged abuse reportedly escalated after the relationship ended.
“He filed dozens of false police reports. He call CPS so many times, I nearly came to know most of the staff by name,” Carli claimed on the fundraiser page.
“The passive-aggressive abuse was so bad, I had to trespass him from my apartment on more than one occasion.”
Marcus Spanevelo allegedly withheld Saylor from Cassie Carli in the past.
Carli also claims, on GoFundMe, that Spanevelo kept their daughter from her after one of his regularly scheduled weekend visits.
“For over two weeks, I had no contact with my daughter or knowledge of her whereabouts,” she alleged.
“I called everyone I knew. I sought help from local police and every government agency I knew. No one could or would help me. My only hope was a powerful attorney who would not fall for his manipulation or believe his lies.”
Many have pointed out details of Carli’s disappearance and death that are tragically common in situations where domestic abuse is involved.
Cassie Carli reportedly felt “extremely unsafe” around Spanevelo.
Her sister, Raeann Carli, says that the 37-year-old made a point of meeting her child’s father in public places in order to ensure her safety.
“She was very nervous,” Raeann says.
Her brother also says that Carli had often expressed fears about what Spanevelo might do.
“Cassie’s been telling me for the last two years that [Marcus] has been threatening her,” said Cassie’s brother Anthony Carli. “She’s always said, if anything happens to me, it’s him.”
The case has highlighted the many ways in which survivors of domestic abuse are not protected by the law, particularly when their abuser is the parent of their child.
The Carli family is currently raising money on a GoFundMe to fund funeral arrangements and provide funds for Saylor’s future.
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse or violence, there are resources to get help.
There are ways to go about asking for help as safely as possible. For more information, resources, legal advice, and relevant links visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline. For anyone struggling with domestic abuse, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). If you’re unable to speak safely, text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474 or log onto thehotline.org.
Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.