The body of a missing female sailor has been found in a wooded area in Norfolk, Virginia, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) confirmed on Tuesday.
The Norfolk Medical Examiner identified the body to be that of Seaman Angelina Resendiz, a 21-year-old sailor who disappeared from Naval Station Norfolk on May 29.
A Navy sailor has been placed in pretrial confinement in connection with Resendiz’s death, with charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice pending, according to NCIS.
“NCIS has worked tirelessly in close coordination with Navy leadership, the Norfolk Police Department, Virginia State Police, Virginia Search and Rescue, and numerous other federal and local law enforcement partners to pursue all leads since learning of Seaman Resendiz’s disappearance,” the agency stated.
The agency declined to release further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
On June 3, state police issued a critically missing adult alert on behalf of NCIS, stating that Resendiz’s disappearance posed a credible threat to her health and safety.
Castle, who lives in Texas, said her daughter was committed to her job as a Navy culinary specialist and maintained daily contact with family and friends.
“Her and my sister have a 400-day streak on Snapchat. Every single day, she talks to somebody. She talks to family, or she will talk to a friend,” Castle said.
Castle became alarmed when she did not hear from her daughter and learned from friends that Resendiz had missed work.
“She just stopped existing Thursday. She’s spent no money, made no calls. She just stopped. She disappeared,” Castle said.
She criticized the Navy’s notification process, saying she was not informed through official channels but instead learned of her daughter’s disappearance from her daughter’s staff and media coverage.
“This systemic failure to provide timely and official notification was unacceptable. Her daughter’s colleagues, friends, and even authorities knew she was missing, but the response was minimal,” Castle stated.
She urged the U.S. Congress to investigate not only her daughter’s disappearance but also the “systemic breakdowns that prevent proper communication and response.”
NCIS has urged anyone with information about the case to contact them at (877) 579-3648, according to NCIS and the Virginia State Police.