A young Navy sailor from Texas who went missing from her barracks in Virginia has been discovered dead, and another sailor is now under arrest in connection with her death.
Angelina Resendiz, 21, originally from Harlingen, was reported missing on May 29 after last being seen at Naval Station Norfolk. Virginia State Police issued a critical missing person alert for her last week as the search intensified.
On Monday, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) discovered a body in a rural region of Norfolk. The local medical examiner confirmed on Tuesday that it was Resendiz.
According to NCIS officials, another Navy sailor, whose identity has not been revealed, is currently in pretrial detention on charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Resendiz was raised in Texas and has familial links to the Houston region. Her absence and sad death have shaken communities across South and Southeast Texas, prompting relatives to seek answers.
“This has left a deep void in our hearts,” a family spokesperson told NBC affiliate WAVY in Norfolk. The family says they were not properly notified of Angelina’s disappearance through official Navy channels. According to the family, it was her friends and fellow sailors who reported her missing when leadership failed to act.
They are now urging the US government and local representatives, notably Texas Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, to push for a thorough inquiry and changes to military notification processes.
In a statement, NCIS stated that it is still dedicated to investigating the truth behind Resendiz’s death in order to guarantee responsibility and justice.
The investigation is underway.