A young Navy sailor from Texas who vanished from her barracks in Virginia has been found dead, and another sailor is now in custody in connection with her death.
Angelina Resendiz, 21, originally from Harlingen, was reported missing on May 29 after she was last seen at Naval Station Norfolk. Virginia State Police had issued a critically missing person alert for her last week as the search intensified.
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On Monday, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) located a body in a wooded area of Norfolk. It was confirmed Tuesday by the local medical examiner to be Resendiz.
NCIS officials said another Navy sailor, whose name has not been released, is currently in pretrial confinement with charges pending under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Resendiz grew up in Texas and had family ties to the Houston area. Her disappearance and tragic death have shaken communities across South Texas and Southeast Texas, where relatives are now seeking 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.
Now, they’re calling on the U.S. government and local representatives, including Texas Congressman Vicente Gonzalez, to press for a full investigation and reforms in military notification protocols.
In a statement, NCIS said it remains committed to uncovering the facts surrounding Resendiz’s death to ensure accountability and justice.
The investigation is ongoing.
Marlene Lenthang, Breaking News Reporter, contributed to this report.