Timeline: The death of Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz

MEXIA, Texas (KWTX) - The death of Navy Seaman Angelina Resendiz, a 2023 Mexia High School graduate, has drawn national attention and calls for military reform. Here’s a comprehensive timeline of the case from her disappearance to the current legal proceedings.

May 29, 2025: Last seen alive

Angelina Resendiz was last seen at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where she had been stationed for two years. The 21-year-old sailor worked in the naval station’s kitchen and was described by friends as “too scared to miss work,” according to her mother, Esmeralda Castle.

Early June 2025: Family raises concerns

When Resendiz failed to report for duty, her family became concerned. Her mother traveled to Virginia seeking answers but returned with little information. Friends noted that Resendiz’s disappearance was out of character for someone excited about her Navy career as a culinary specialist.

“She was so proud to call it her job,” Friend of Resendiz, Ella Sumrall said.

June 9, 2025: Body discovered

Resendiz’s body was found in the Broad Creek area of Norfolk, Virginia, following a multi-agency search. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) confirmed an unnamed sailor was placed in pretrial confinement in connection with her death, with charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice pending.

June 20, 2025: Resendiz’s body returns home

Resendiz’s body was returned home to Harlingen, Texas, by military personnel, where she was given military honors upon arrival.

June 30, 2025: Community memorial

The Mexia community held a memorial service to honor Resendiz’s memory. Her art teacher, Audrey Wattles, who had taken Resendiz in for several years, spoke about the young woman’s excitement about joining the Navy and exploring the world.

“This actually happens more often than we realize. Especially in the military, even in the military where it should not happen at all,” Wattles said during the service.

September 10, 2025: Murder charges revealed

According to documents provided by Resendiz’s mother, Navy Seaman Jermiah Copeland was formally charged with premeditated murder in violation of Article 118. Copeland had been held in pretrial confinement since June.

September 18, 2025: First pretrial hearing

Castle attended Copeland’s first pretrial hearing, where charges of assaulting other individuals on Naval Station Norfolk were also discussed. The revelation raised concerns about whether warning signs were ignored.

“He did things on that ship before he got to Angie that they knew about,” Castle said.

Late September 2025: Congressional action

U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) filed an amendment to the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act requiring the Department of War to meet standards when handling missing persons cases. The amendment was specifically intended to bring accountability for cases like Resendiz’s.

Late September 2025: LULAC calls for investigation

LULAC held a press conference where they called for a transparent investigation into Resendiz’s death, drawing parallels to the 2020 case of Vanessa Guillén and alleging systemic failures in the military’s handling of the case.

“The delays, miscommunication, and lack of urgency surrounding her disappearance are unacceptable and eerily reminiscent of the failures that led us to fight for the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act five years ago,” said Roman Palomares, LULAC’s national president and chairman of the board.

The organization formally wrote to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and alerted senior officials at the Department of Defense and members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, demanding nine specific actions including a thorough investigation, accountability for supervisors, and full enforcement of the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act.

LULAC also demanded answers and called for an independent investigation of Resendiz’s death. Castle criticized the military system for failing to protect her daughter from someone they knew posed a threat.

“They knew that this person was capable of harm, but they ignored it,” Castle said. “For whatever reason, whatever their policies are, or whatever system that allows them to do this, it is broken.”

Early October 2025: Case moves to general court-martial and arraignment

Marshall Griffin, the attorney representing Resendiz’s family, was notified of Copeland’s general court-martial, which led him to believe the premeditated murder charge in connection with Resendiz’s death would be mentioned in the proceedings. Charges will be read to Copeland at an upcoming arraignment, though no date has been set.

“The fact that I was notified tells me that a charge impacting my client was sent to a general court-martial,” Griffin said. “I suspect that charge is the premeditated murder charge.”

The general court-martial is the first step in the arraignment process.

Looking ahead

Castle continues to seek systemic change in how the military handles such cases, saying her closure will come when similar tragedies can be prevented.

“If I want anything, it would be my daughter, my kid. For this to have never happened,” Castle said. “It can’t happen again. And that’s where my closure is. When it won’t happen again.”

The family has criticized the Navy’s handling of the case, particularly the failure to promptly notify them through official channels when Resendiz went missing. Instead, they learned of her disappearance through unofficial sources and media coverage.

An arraignment date for Copeland has not yet been set.

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