CANTON, Mass. (WHDH) — The family of a Marine recruit whose body was found on the side of a highway in Canton have thanked the Rhode Island man who found the remains and brought them closure.
Roberto Garcia pulled over on the southbound side of I-95 to help his son whose car had broken down. That was when he said he noticed the body in the bushes on the side of the road.
The remains have since been positively identified as 21-year-old Joey Brancato, a Marine recruit from Winthrop. Brancato was last seen in Roslindale in November, where he had been living with Frank Lipka, a Marine recruiter.
Lipka was charged this week after police said he waved a gun at a Domino’s Pizza employee. He remains behind bars and prosecutors are now calling him a “person of interest” in Brancato’s death.
Garcia said Brancato’s father came out to the spot in Canton earlier on Friday so he could see his son’s final resting place. Garcia described him as very distraught as he looked around.
Brancato’s family thanked Garcia for finding his body and offered him the $3,000 in reward money. Garcia declined the reward, telling Brancato’s family to use it to pay for his funeral.
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