Account
Jun 05, 2025
Jun 12, 2025
Angelina
Resendiz
21
21
60 inches
110 lbs
Hispanic / Latino
Female
In a deeply troubling case, 21-year-old U.S. Navy sailor Angelina Petra Resendiz was last seen by fellow command members on the morning of May 29, 2025, at her barracks, Miller Hall, on Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. A Culinary Specialist assigned to the USS James E. Williams, Resendiz had enlisted in the Navy in August 2023 and had been stationed in Norfolk since 2024. Concern grew among her family and friends when she failed to show up for work and broke her daily communication streaks. Her mother, Esmeralda Castle, noted the uncharacteristic silence, stating her daughter had not used her phone or spent any money since she was last seen. Resendiz was described as being 5 feet tall, weighing around 110 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Following her disappearance, an extensive investigation was launched by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in coordination with local and state law enforcement. On June 3, 2025, the Virginia State Police issued a "Critically Missing Adult Alert," indicating that authorities believed Resendiz could be in danger. During the investigation, her mother visited her barracks and found a fan still running and a recently purchased yoga mat, suggesting Angelina had intended to return. Searches were conducted around the naval station, and her family made public pleas for any information regarding her whereabouts. A family spokesperson described Angelina as a "loving, compassionate, and devoted individual who has always prioritized the well-being of her family and those around her." Regrettably, the search concluded tragically when Angelina's body was discovered on June 9, 2025, in a wooded area in Norfolk, less than 10 miles from her barracks. Shortly after the discovery, another sailor, Petty Officer Jermiah Copeland, was taken into pretrial confinement in connection with her death. Copeland was later charged with her murder. The investigation revealed that Resendiz died after being strangled by Copeland in a barracks building following a disagreement. Copeland eventually pleaded guilty to unpremeditated murder and was sentenced in June 2026 to 44 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances. The case highlights the devastating loss of a young sailor and the subsequent pursuit of justice for her and her grieving family.
May 29, 2025
Norfolk
Virginia
Norfolk City
Norfolk
No
170438
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Norfolk Field Office
Norfolk
Virginia
Norfolk City
23511
1329 Bellinger Blvd, Virginia
7574447327
Federal
Law Enforcement
01JUN25-NFNF-00237-7MNA
2025-06-05
Naval Criminal Investigative Service Norfolk Field Office
na
Black
Brown
Brown
Yes
06/04/2026
