NORFOLK, Va. — Angelina Resendiz vanished from her barracks at Naval Station Norfolk the morning of Thursday, May 29. Nearly two weeks later, her body was recovered behind an elementary school in Norfolk.
During that time, Resendiz's family grew frustrated by a lack of information provided during the investigation into her disappearance.
We've compiled a full timeline of events from information we received from authorities and the family.
Thursday, May 29, 2025
10 a.m.
Angelina Petra Resendiz, 21, is last seen in her barracks in Miller Hall at Naval Station Norfolk. A description of her attire and a vehicle she left in are not known.
Tuesday, June 3
9:38 p.m.
Virginia State Police issue a Critically Missing Adult Alert for Resendiz on behalf of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The alert gives a description and said her disappearance poses a credible threat to her health and safety.
10:13 p.m.
WTKR News 3 publishes our first alert story online for Resendiz.
Wednesday, June 4
9:59 a.m.
Virginia State Police give a brief update on the missing adult to change the NCIS contact number for information regarding Resendiz’s whereabouts.
WTKR speaks with Esmerelda Castle, Resendiz’s mother, who tells us the disappearance is very out of character.
"She calls my mother, she calls her brother, her sisters; she has friends—middle school friends she still talks to," Castle said.
She tells us she’s taking matters into her own hands.
"My kid is missing, and she wouldn't just unauthorized leave without permission. Angie’s too scared to miss work; she wouldn’t do that. Something is wrong, and I’m going to Virginia tomorrow to find out what I can because I need to start looking for my kid. I don’t know what’s going on," she said.
Thursday, June 5
Castle flies into Norfolk from her home in Harlingen, Texas to see if she can learn more about her daughter’s disappearance. She visited Naval Station Norfolk and went to Resendiz’s barracks to find her belongings in a state indicating she planned to return.
"Her fan was still on, and she had personal items like food and a yoga mat untouched," she told News 3’s Daniella Saitta two days later. Esmerelda also mentioned that no money has been spent from Angelina's accounts since the day she went missing.
9:09 p.m.
As search efforts continue, WTKR posts a photo of Resendiz to social media that is shared more than 27,000 times over and viewed more than 2.3 million times over the next several days.
Saturday, June 7
Castle, still in town seeking more information and growing increasingly concerned, sits down with WTKR for an in-person interview.
During this interview, Esmerelda reported receiving little information from NCIS.
“I asked them if they have her phone; they can’t tell me if they do or not,” she said, noting that such uncertainties lead her to fear the worst.
In response to inquiries about the investigation's confidentiality, NCIS stated they would not disclose details until they have gathered sufficient and accurate information.
Castle flies back to Texas Saturday night.
Monday, June 9
Monday evening, Norfolk Police and NCIS respond to the discovery of a body in a wooded area behind Richard Bowling Elementary School in Norfolk. Reports emerge on police scanner Facebook groups of a body being found in the Broad Creek area, and residents outside the police tape perimeter begin livestreaming the investigation.
Speculation mounts, with many neighbors on scene reporting that they saw officials remove a body from the wooded area.
Around 9 p.m., several of the NCIS and police cars depart the scene.
9:30 p.m.
Norfolk Police send a brief message to WTKR News 3 stating they are “continuing to assist NCIS with a follow-up investigation. For additional details, please contact NCIS.”
9:40 p.m.
NCIS responds to a WTKR request for comment on the investigation. They write:
I can confirm that NCIS and the Norfolk Police Department have responded to a report of a deceased body found in an off-base wooded area in Norfolk.
The Norfolk Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy and working to positively identify the victim.
No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed at this time. Out of respect for the investigative process, NCIS will not comment further while the investigation remains ongoing.
10:45 p.m.
Local PR manager Kimberly Wimbish, who had represented the family of Ashanti Billie several years ago, releases a statement on behalf of Resendiz's family related to the body found in Broad Creek.
It reads:
The family of Seaman Angelina Resendiz is heartbroken and deeply concerned over her sudden and unexplained disappearance.
Angelina is a loving, compassionate, and devoted individual who has always prioritized the well-being of her family and those around her. Her absence has caused immense grief for all who know and love her.
At this time, we are awaiting the results of DNA testing to determine whether recently discovered remains are those of Angelina. We remain prayerful and hopeful for clarity and resolution.
We urge anyone with information about Angelina's whereabouts or the circumstances surrounding her disappearance to come forward. Your help could be crucial in bringing her home and providing answers.
Our family is grateful for the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and investigators. We kindly request privacy as we navigate this incredibly difficult time.
Thank you to everyone who has offered support, shared prayers, and stood with us in the search for Angelina.
Tuesday, June 10
4 p.m.
Wimbish, on behalf of the family, releases a statement confirming that the body found Monday evening is Resendiz. In that statement, the family called on Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, the Hampton Roads congressional delegation, and President Donald Trump to “address the systemic issues that allowed her to vanish without justice since May 29, 2025.”
The statement also notes that Castle was “horrified to realize that she was not properly notified through official channels and that, instead, she was only informed unofficially by her daughter’s staff and media coverage.”
Read that statement in full here.
4:41 p.m.
NCIS confirms the body recovered in Broad Creek is Angelina Resendiz, who they say was assigned to the USS James E. Williams. Another sailor is being held in “pretrial confinement” in connection with her death, with charges pending.
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