Media Center :: Press Releases

WHO:
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent Joe Fonseca, Shannon Melendi Open FBI Investigation
Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward
Col. Rick Ramsey, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Principal Ron Martin and CSHS Juniors and Seniors
And the surviving members of the Melendi Family:  Luis & Yvonne, and daughter, Monique

WHEN & WHERE:
9:25 am, Monday, October 19, 2009 in the Performing Arts Center,
Coral Shores High School, 89901 Old Highway, Tavernier, Florida

WHAT:         
Luis Melendi, a local Coral Shores High School portraits photographer, speaks to each Senior he photographs about his daughter, Shannon, and about safety.  She was a new student at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, just 19 years old, working as a scorekeeper at a youth baseball game.  She disappeared around 12 noon one fine Saturday.  Luis says, “It could happen to anybody”. 

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will introduce the Shannon Melendi story to Coral Shores’ students with the help of “Forensic Files” television clips, the FBI agent currently working the still-open case, and Shannon’s parents, sister, and home video.  Yvonne Melendi says, “Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has truly helped us keep Shannon's memory alive by helping us save the lives of children of future generations.” 

“It will be very tough on my Melendi family as they speak at Coral Shores, because Shannon would have been 35 years old on October 20th”, says Cong. Ros-Lehtinen. “We have the confessed perpetrator behind bars who is already up for parole in 2011; and we don’t have closure because we still don’t have a body.” 

Ileana and Shannon both share the same high school alma mater, Southwest Senior High. Shannon’s case is well-known on television with 48 Hours, Forensic Files, America’s Most Wanted, and The Investigators, to name a few.  Shannon dreamed of being a JAG attorney and to serve as a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.

Be Aware.  Be Safe.