Body of missing Glendora teen found near hiking trail

GLENDORA -- Searchers found the body of a missing Glendora teenager Saturday in a remote hiking area near his home, dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.
Vincent Antonio Giovanazzi, 17, was found about 8 a.m. in the foothills of Glendora off of Colby Trail, north of Loraine Avenue, Glendora police Lt. Tim Staab said.
He disappeared August 27 after telling family members he was going to the library, the lieutenant said. A review of library surveillance cameras show he never arrived.
His uncle, Bill Cooper, described the senior at Glendora High School as "genuinely a nice, good, caring kid."
"We spent a lot of time hiking together and stuff," he said. "I'm going to miss him for the rest of my life."
About 300 family members, friends and community members set out Saturday mourning to scour the wooded areas near Giovanazzi's home, Staab said.
"It was only because of those 300 volunteers that we were able to find Vincent this morning," he said.
Staab added that family members were grateful for the outpouring of community support.
The body was found under a tree in a remote area about half a mile up Colby Trail, and about one mile from his home, authorities and family members said. Giovanazzi would often hike in the area.
Because of the remote area where the body was located, Staab said it appeared he did not want to be found.
A cousin of Giovanazzi first made the discovery, officials said.
The Los Angeles County Department of Coroner will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause of death, Staab said, however a handgun was found near the body and the death initially appeared to be a suicide.
"He appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," Staab said.
The gun belonged to a family member, he added.
Staab said the condition of the body indicated it likely had been there about two weeks -- the amount of time that Giovanazzi has been missing.
Since his disappearance, family members have asked the public's help finding Giovanazzi and even offered a $10,000 reward for information.
"The family is very distraught," the lieutenant said. "My heart goes out to them."
Cooper said he was searching with Lt. Staab when the body was found.
"(Staab) got a phone call and turned real serious," Cooper said. "He said, 'Get your wife and come with me.'"
Cooper said Giovanazzi showed no signs of being suicidal before his disappearance.
"I talked to him the week before," he said. "I kind of noticed he was down, but nothing to this scale."
A memorial of flowers and photographs marked the entrance to Colby Trail Saturday afternoon.
Area residents, such as 25-year-old Valerie Mendoza, stopped by to pay her respects.
Though she said she did not know Giovanazzi personally, she said the incident had affected the whole neighborhood.
"It just makes you so sad," she said. "People all around the city were talking about it. Everyone was holding out that they'd find him, that they'd find him alive."

ABOVE: Courtesy photo of Vincent Giovanazzi