As I lay me down
Heaven hear me now
I’m lost without a cause
After giving it my all
– “I Look to You” by Whitney Houston
Giovanni Canales was a confident, fearless kid who had a mischievous streak, especially when it came to daring family members to break the rules.
His cousin, Amber Canales, remembered how Giovanni goaded her to unplug the television when the kids were watching a movie while the adults were in the kitchen. He also teased her for daintily biting her potato chips rather than just scarfing down the entire bag.
During family camping trips in Virginia, the adults played pranks on the kids, such as challenging them to pick up burning rocks from the fire. (Lukewarm rocks were secretly stashed nearby.)
“Don’t be scared. That rock is not gonna hurt me,” a five-year-old Giovanni boasted.
Goofy and good-natured, he also participated in all the family activities, including hiking and hurling himself in the lake.
“Giovanni was a go-getter,” Amber said. “Everything he wanted to do, he would try to do it.”
The regular camping excursions were a respite for Giovanni, who moved around a lot with his family due to financial instability. Born on October 28, 1994 in Camden, New Jersey, Giovanni also lived in Bensalem and Frankford. He graduated from North East High School, but spent time in and out of prison on drug-related charges.
“He may have had a harder look to him,” Amber said, “but Giovanni really had a soft heart and loved his family.”
On May 17, 2022 at around 11:30 a.m., Giovanni was shot six times and killed inside a dark gray Nissan Rogue on the 1600 block of Margaret Street in Philadelphia’s East Frankford section. He was 27. Police have made no arrests.
The son of Anthony and Jacqueline Canales, Giovanni had four brothers (Anthony, Sean, Jayden and Prince) and enjoyed playing sports with them. His favorite colors were blue and white, and he enjoyed playing video games and listening to rap music.
Giovanni was a huge fan of Philadelphia sports teams and wore special hats to celebrate their wins. He is buried in his white T-shirt, sweats and Phillies cap in Greenmount Cemetery.
At Giovanni’s funeral, which combined Christian and Muslim traditions, his aunt, Jessica Whitfield, sang “Goin’ Up Yonder” by Walter Hawkins and The Love Center Choir and “I Look To You” by Whitney Houston.
Giovanni had blocked Jessica from his Instagram several years back after she commented that one of his posts was inappropriate. He unblocked her after Jessica sent him a message, threatening playfully, “don’t make me come down there.”
“It’s almost like you have that friend who you haven’t seen or spoken to in a long time,” she said. “You get together and no time has passed.”
Amber similarly lost touch with Giovanni after they both became teenagers. His last known address was on Brill Street in Frankford. Giovanni had a “presence to him” that captivated people, remembered Amber, who last spoke to him after he was released from prison in February. The two promised to make plans soon but they never materialized.
“It seemed like he was trying to focus and stay positive,” Amber recalled.
Giovanni leaves behind a young son, Sakia. He had the boy’s name tattooed on his face.
The last time that Amber saw Giovanni in person was a few years ago at their great-grandmother’s funeral. The pair embraced and Amber reminded him to stay out of trouble.
“Cousin, I love you so much and we have to stop seeing each other at funerals,” she recalled saying to him. “And he held me tighter.”
A reward of up to $20,000 if available to anyone that comes forward with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for Giovanni Canales’ murder. Anonymous calls can be submitted by calling the Citizens Crime Commission at 215-546-TIPS. Information can also be submitted to the Philadelphia Police Department online or by calling 215-686-TIPS.
Resources are available for people and communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Click here for more information.
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