The cause of death for a sailor who went missing from her Virginia Navy base in May and was later discovered deceased has been released.
The Virginia Department of Health’s Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to PEOPLE that 21-year-old Angelina Petra Resendiz’s cause and manner of death remain undetermined.
Resendiz’s body was located on Monday, June 9, by the NCIS in a wooded area off-base in Norfolk. She had last been seen on Thursday, May 29. The Norfolk Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed her identity the following day, June 10.
In a statement shared with ABC affiliate WVCE and NBC affiliate WAVY, Resendiz’s family said they understood “why this conclusion was reached” due to the condition of her remains. Still, they emphasized their determination to continue seeking answers, noting they have launched a GoFundMe to support their efforts.
“… This does not change the fact that Angie lost her life and was found in a wooded area under circumstances that remain deeply troubling,” the family said.
“Closure cannot come until the truth is revealed, and accountability will take place until the circumstances are fully explained. We cannot accept this as the end of the story.”
In July, a Department of the Navy memo provided new insight into Resendiz’s final hours. According to the document, she was last seen around 10 a.m. on May 29 inside another sailor’s barracks room during a wellness check.
The memo noted that Resendiz had been on “authorized liberty” that day, meaning she had no assigned duties and was not required to report for muster. She was expected to return for duty at 7:30 a.m. the next morning but never showed up. When checks were conducted in both her room and that of the other sailor, neither was found. The Navy has not released the identity of the other individual.
Marshall Griffin, attorney for Resendiz’s mother, Esmeralda Castle, told WAVY that a sailor named Jermiah Copeland had been taken into custody “on suspicion” after a preliminary hearing at the Naval Consolidated Brig in Chesapeake. Griffin said Copeland remained in pretrial confinement, though charges had not yet been specified.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) confirmed to PEOPLE that a Navy sailor was being held in pretrial confinement in connection with the case. PEOPLE has also reached out to the Navy for updates regarding Copeland’s status.
“Angelina was a kind and compassionate young woman who brought light into our lives,” Castle said in a statement, adding that her daughter’s loss left “a void in their hearts.”
