Assunta "Susy" Tomassi, a 73-year-old woman from Vero Beach, Florida, went missing on March 16, 2018. Susy, who was in the early stages of dementia, was last seen walking away from the Quilted Giraffe restaurant, which she owned with her husband, Patrick Tomassi. Surveillance footage captured her heading towards the Oslo Road boat ramp, and she was last seen getting into a white pickup truck behind a Publix located at Oslo Road and U.S. Highway 1.
Despite extensive search efforts by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and numerous volunteers, Susy remained missing for over five years.
In early March 2023, a fisherman discovered skeletal remains near the Oslo Road boat ramp, which were later identified as Susy's. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Susy had suffered a gunshot wound, which contributed to her death. The discovery of her remains and the confirmation of the gunshot wound shifted the case from a missing person investigation to a homicide investigation.
The investigation into Susy's death revealed that she had been shot, but robbery was ruled out as a motive since valuable items, including jewelry, were found with her remains. The sheriff's office developed a sketch of a person of interest based on a tip from a woman who reported that a man driving a white pickup truck had attempted to lure her into his vehicle several months before Susy disappeared. The man was described as being between 30 and 40 years old, with a medium build and shoulder-length brown hair.
Despite the release of the sketch and the ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made in connection with Susy's death. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office continues to seek information from the public to help identify the person responsible for her murder. The case remains open, and Susy's family continues to seek justice for her untimely death.
