Loved ones say the sailor’s disappearance was out of character and that they were left with more questions than answers from authorities.
NORFOLK, Va. — A search for a missing sailor from Mexia is over after authorities recovered a body near a Navy base in Virginia on Monday.
Police in Norfolk, along with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, confirmed the body was found in an off-base wooded area near Naval Station Norfolk was Angelina Resendiz.
A fellow Navy sailor has been placed in pretrial confinement in connection with her death, with charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice pending, according to a statement from NCIS. Officials said NCIS remains committed to uncovering the facts surrounding Resendiz’s tragic death to ensure accountability and justice. No further details have been released as the investigation remains ongoing.
In a statement released Tuesday, family members confirmed the body was that of Resendiz. Her mother, Esmerelda Castle, expressed heartbreak over her daughter’s death and called for a thorough investigation into what she described as systemic failures by the U.S. Navy and government authorities.
“Angelina was a kind and compassionate young woman who brought light into our lives,” Castle said. “Her disappearance has left a void in our hearts, and we refuse to let her suffering be in vain.”
The family is calling on the United States government, including President Donald J. Trump, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, the Hampton Roads congressional delegation and Texas Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, to investigate the mishandling of Resendiz’s case. They cited delays in official notification and a lack of urgency from her command, with the family learning of her disappearance through unofficial sources such as friends and media reports.
Officials say Resendiz was last seen on May 29 at her barracks carrying a backpack before she disappeared. The NCIS then issued an alert on June 3 when Resendiz went missing.
Resendiz’s mother, Esmeralda Castle, flew from Texas to Virginia to help with the search, but said she left the area with more questions than answers after spending hours with investigators.
“I’ve learned nothing,” Castle said. “Not from the military … the only thing that I’ve learned is the procedures of what happens when someone goes missing.”
Family and friends say Resendiz’s disappearance was completely out of character. They also said the sailor contacted her family every day and was afraid to miss work. Castle said she last heard from her daughter on FaceTime as Resendiz showed off new artwork. Resendiz vanished a few days later.
“She just calls randomly … and there’s no reason for it,” Castle said. “Sometimes I can answer, sometimes I can’t … That day we answered, and her sisters were home, so we were all talking with her.”
Neighbors near where the body was found reported to WVEC that they live in a quiet community and have never heard anything like what they saw on Monday.
Resendiz’s body was identified after the NCIS said an autopsy was being conducted. They also added that no arrests have been made in her death.