- PIO Number:
- 23-2-9 (23-1-31)
- BSO Case Number:
- 07-2301-003065
- Jurisdiction:
- See narrative
- Place of Occurrence:
- See narrative
- Victim:
- Gianni Coto, 28, 09/12/94, Tamarac (DECEASED)
- Suspect(s):
- (1) Brandon Jenkins, 29, 10/04/1993, male, 2139 Amadeus Dr., Clarksville, Tennessee
- (2) Trinity Bownes, 31, 01/06/1992, female, 8900 N.W. 77th Ct., Tamarac
Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit detectives, in conjunction with BSO Missing Persons Unit, arrested two people in connection to the murder of a man who went missing from Tamarac in late January.
A missing persons news release was issued for 28-year-old Gianni Coto on January 25, after he was reported missing by a family member. He was last seen Saturday, January 21, near the 8900 block of Northwest 77th Court in Tamarac.
Through investigative methods, detectives determined that Coto went to the residence of his estranged wife, Trinity Bownes on January 21. According to investigators, while at the residence, Coto and Bownes became involved in an argument, and at some point Coto was fatally stabbed. Brandon Jenkins was also at the residence and became involved in the incident. After Coto was killed, his remains were buried off of State Road 60 in Indian River County.
On January 30, with the assistance of the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, BSO detectives located Coto’s body. His remains were transported to the Broward County Medical Examiner's (ME) Office for an autopsy.
On Feb. 1, 2023, detectives obtained arrest warrants for the two suspects. Jenkins was taken into custody in Tennessee by the Clarksville Police Department on Feb. 3, 2023. A day later, Bownes turned herself into the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office in California. Both suspects are expected to be extradited to Broward County to face charges of first degree murder and tampering with evidence.
At this time, the investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing.
The following law enforcement agencies provided many resources during the investigation and the arrests: Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, Clarksville Tennessee Police Department’s Homicide Unit, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Miami Beach Police Department’s Homicide Unit and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
INVESTIGATORS:
Homicide Det. K. Nitsch, CID
Homicide Sgt. P. Reynolds, CID
THIS REPORT BY:
Miranda Grossman/PIO
02/06/2023 1430
Homicide Sgt. B. Tutler, CID
Missing Persons Det. C. Blankenship, CID
Tamarac District
Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
Clarksville Police Department, Tennessee
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, California
FWC
