Justice for Angelina Resendiz

* Trigger Warning * Sexual assault statistics are shared in this episode, but no violent imagery or descriptions are included in this episode. Imagine signing up to join the military without realizing that the biggest threat to your safety could potentially be someone who works closely with you rather than a foreign enemy. The Department of Defense statistics show that their annual sexual assault report lists the Navy’s reporting rate as 5.7 per 1,000 sailors, the same as fiscal year 2022 and still higher than FY 2021. I find it interesting that 42% of these cases were found to have no follow-up or follow-through commander action and while in some cases this is because the victim chose not to participate in the cases, an overwhelming majority saw no commander action due to “insufficient evidence.” I want you to consider this though, I know of multiple incidents where there have been full confessions to the assault, signed and everything, and the case was still not brought to court-martial due to insufficient evidence. Not only that, but a separate study showed that an estimated 76.1% of victims do not report their assaults. One more thing before we get to business here - the Department of Veterans Affairs found that 41.5% of women experience some form of sexual trauma while serving in the American military. Let that number sink in. With all of that being said, this episode is about the disappearance of a 21-year-old woman who was failed by her chain of command and overall by the Navy. This case is unfolding and in active investigation as I record on June 15, 2025. I will share updates as they become available, but many of you are familiar with the death of Army Private First Class, Vanessa Guillen. If you aren’t, I encourage you to look her up. Vanessa went missing on April 22, 2020, from Fort Hood (later renamed to Fort Cavazos). Her remains were found on June 30, 2020, near the Leon River in Bell County, Texas. She had been murdered by a superior soldier who she had previously reported for sexual harassment. We aren’t being loud enough about these women who sign up to fight in our military and then go missing or turn up murdered when it was preventable and then their families are dragged through hell trying to get answers. So now, we focus on Angelina Resendiz… *Intro Music* Welcome back to Murder and Mediumship, a true crime podcast with a sprinkle of intuition. The tone of this episode is much more serious than usual (not that these topics covered aren’t all serious), but I want to stress how deeply unsettling this case is as a woman with many friends who have been and are actively service members. Angelina Resendiz grew up in Texas and has been described by family as a fun and kind person who was extremely dedicated to the Navy and her job as a culinary specialist. Her mother, Esmerelda Castle, referred to her as “Angie,” in an interview with 13 News Now Norfolk, saying that for her daughter to not be in touch with someone in the family is highly unusual. She cited a 400+ day streak on SnapChat between her sister and Angelina, so when no one heard from her after 10 a.m. on May 29th, they knew something wasn’t right. Angelina was currently assigned to the James E. Williams, a guided missile destroyer stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. She arrived there in early 2024 and by all accounts, took a lot of pride in her job, and never missed a beat, let alone ever failed to show up for work, ever. There are potentially some heavy repercussions for failing to show up to work for one day, let alone for two when you’re active duty military. It didn’t make sense that she failed to show up on Friday, May 30th and then yet again on Monday, June 2nd. Friends of Angelina’s contacted Esmerelda on the evening of the 29th out of concern for their friend. They were having trouble getting a hold of her. She then called the navy base after her daughter's friends had reached out to her. After being contacted by friends of her daughters, Esmerelda called her daughter’s ship, the James E. Williams. I don’t know who she spoke to on the ship, but whoever she spoke to told her that her daughter wasn’t missing and that they had found her, she was in another room, and she is fine. Esmerelda asked that they have Angelina call her. So hearing that her daughter was okay, she started calling her right away and yet, Angelina still wasn’t picking up the phone. On May 30th, she called the naval base again and was told her daughter didn’t come to work on Friday May 30th, something Angelina would never have done, as she was afraid of getting in trouble. Still, no one could get a hold of her. I don’t know if her phone was going straight to voicemail or if it was ringing at all. Esmerelda got back in touch with her daughter’s friends and they reported her missing to investigators. Friends of hers reported that Angie had been seen with another sailor in her barracks before she went missing and another Navy official had also seen them together earlier in the day as well. By May 31st, a missing persons report was filed by her friends with the Norfolk Police Department. Her mother was never notified by the Navy that her daughter was missing, but rather was informed by co-workers of hers and the local Hampton Roads media outlets. I want to reiterate that, friends of Angelina’s got in contact with her mother, not the ship that she was stationed on, the James E. Williams, commanded by Commander Timothy Winters, and not by NCIS. While a missing person’s report was filed with Norfolk PD on May 31st, Virginia State Police issued a Critically Missing Adult Alert for Angelina Resendiz on behalf of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service at 9:38 pm on Tuesday, June 3rd. The alert gave a less than helpful description. It read as follows, “The Virginia State Police has issued a critically missing adult alert on behalf of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service on June 3, 2025 at 2138 hours or 9:38 p.m. The Naval Criminal Service is looking for Angelina Petra Resendiz, Race: White/HIspanic, Sex: Female, Age: 21 years old, Height: 5’0”, Weight: 110lbs, with brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen on May 29, 2025 at 1000 hours at her barracks in Miller Hall at Naval Station Norfolk. She was last seen wearing an unknown description of clothing with no known vehicle. This disappearance poses a credible threat to their health and safety as determined by the investigating agency.” It then goes on to explain how to reach out to NCIS. My problem is this - she was last seen in her barracks, but no one knows what she was wearing, and we also later find out that she didn’t have a driver’s license, nor did she drive, so a vehicle description is unnecessary. I understand that maybe no one had that information, but it just seems so unhelpful. At 10:13pm of June 3rd, WTKR News 3 published the first alert story online for Angelina Resendiz. On June 4th, WTKR spoke to Esmerelda, who told them how her daughter is in constant contact with someone in the family always, whether it is Angie’s grandmother, her brother, her sisters, or friends from as far back as middle school. In the same interview, she says, “She just stopped existing Thursday. She’s spent no money, made no calls - She’s made no posts. She stopped. She just disappeared.” On Thursday June 5th, Esmerelda flew to Norfolk from Harlingen, TX to see what she could find out about her daughter’s disappearance. NCIS wouldn’t answer any of her mother’s questions. They wouldn’t tell her if they had her phone, who the last person she talked to was, or where she was seen last. I can understand that maybe these things weren’t known at the time, but my suspicions lead me to believe that they knew more than they were letting on, and according to Esmerelda, she believed the same. She was able to access her daughter’s room in Miller Hall on base, which is interesting to me, because if this is a missing person’s case at this point, why are they letting her mom rifle through her belongings? Couldn’t this potentially contaminate any evidence? Please know that in no way am I blaming the mom for being in there, because I know I would be doing the same especially when you’re not getting answers and a piece of your heart, your baby, is just seemingly ceasing to exist in the world. I would be doing everything in my power too and I know that’s exactly what she was doing. Esmerelda told WTKR that the fan was still on, she had just purchased a yoga mat and little weights, and it looked as if she were coming back. As of June 7th, NCIS updated their description to include that Angelina may have been carrying a small black and purple backpack. Saturday, June 7th, Esmerelda flew back to Texas with more questions than answers. On Monday, June 9th, the worst case scenario got even worse for Angelina’s family and friends. Norfolk police along with NCIS responded to a call about a body being found in a wooded area behind Richard Bowling Elementary School in Norfolk, VA. Onlookers reported seeing a body being removed from the wooded area. On June 10th at 4p.m., local PR manager, Kimberly Wimbish released a statement confirming that the body found the previous evening was in fact 21-year-old, Angelina Resendiz. The family reached out to Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine as well as the President to “address the systemic issues that allowed her to vanish without justice since May 29, 2025.” It goes on to express how “horrified” Esmerelda was to realize that she was not notified through official channels and that she was unofficially informed by her daughter’s staff as well as media coverage. They are demanding accountability for oversight that put Angelina’s life at risk and for mishandling the situation, delaying justice for Angelina. I want to read part of the statement here as well: “Her daughter’s colleagues, friends, and even authorities knew she was missing, but the response was minimal, and after her friends filed a missing person’s report when her commander would not, they showed little compassion or understanding. This callousness led to her daughter’s death, which cannot be tolerated. Esmerelda calls on Congress to investigate not only her daughter’s disappearance but also the systemic breakdowns that prevent proper communication and response. Under the Constitution, Congress has the power to “raise and support armies” and to “provide and maintain a Navy,” and it is their duty to ensure these organizations function correctly. If the Navy cannot notify families properly and instead relies on unofficial sources, treating such incidents as inconveniences rather than emergencies, then Congress must investigate what has gone wrong. The Navy’s failures threaten all families and the integrity of our military system, and Congress must reform these processes to prevent future tragedies, for the safety of all families, and for the integrity of our nation.” Representative Jen Kiggans sent her thoughts and prayers, Senator Mark Warner expressed that it’s a tragedy and is in touch with the Navy and will be pressing for more information. Senator Tim Kaine expressed that he was heartbroken to hear about the passing of Angelina Resendiz and is praying for her family. He also sends his appreciation to the Navy and law enforcement officers for investigating and urges them to get answers to the family ASAP. I have to say that these statements feel so out of touch and so copy + paste. These people lost their friend, sister, cousin, daughter and you’re sending “thoughts and prayers” and going on about your day. These issues are exactly as Esmerelda describes - systemic issues that are completely preventable. There are multiple cases where a (typically) male sailor will physically violate a female sailor and just be transferred to another ship - where they find an entirely fresh set of women to prey upon. Safety at work as a woman in the military should not be knowingly compromised by protecting predators. Another sailor is in custody with charges pending at this time. The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has listed the cause and manner of death as pending, but does not offer further elaboration. This is as of June 15, 2025. I will release updates as information becomes available, but I want people to be aware now, to share now, to amplify now because it needs to change now. In an article shared by CNN, Esmerelda spoke of her daughter's dreams to one day cook ‘elaborate meals’ for presidents and world leaders. Twenty-one is so young. It’s heartbreaking. Angie’s career and her life were truly just beginning. She is remembered by loved ones as someone who loved to sing, loved music and painting, and was filled with dreams for her future. Her life ended while stationed at her first command, less than two years after joining in August of 2023. Please, visit the Go Fund Me linked in the show notes and on my social media pages. A vigil is going to be held on June 20th in the Rio Grande Valley where Resendiz grew up. Funeral services have not been announced and will not be until her daughter’s body is released to the family. Esmerelda has asked to speak to the person believed to be responsible for her daughter’s death so that she can forgive them. My heart breaks for this beautiful soul and is also filled with rage for her, knowing in my heart that this likely could have been prevented. I know that offering my intuitive insight dances on a line of respect for all involved, but I want to say this. I believe that whoever did this to her, was someone who had a history that was being repeated. I also believe that it is largely why NCIS is being so quiet and even more so, is why the ship tried to cover its own ass by saying that she was in a different room and was just fine at the beginning of all of this. I believe when it got back to the command as to who she was seen with and the history of this person, they panicked, and rightfully so. Predators shouldn’t be shuffled about. They shouldn’t be given the opportunity to offend again. Yes, innocent until proven guilty, but look - there’s a better way. It’s as if we have learned nothing since Vanessa Guillen in 2020 or from Lavena Johnson in 2005. There should not be fear of retribution for reporting dangerous behavior, rather correction of the dangerous behavior. Thank you all for listening and for coming back to hear another episode of Murder & Mediumship. As always, for your own personal psychic and mediumship services, click the links, smash the buttons, or come visit me on my socials for live readings via TikTok as well. Stay safe. Resources: USNI News - SA Statistics WTKR Norfolk - Texas Mother Seeks Answers Go Fund Me WTKR Timeline MSN - Unacceptable: Angelina Resendiz's mother criticizes Navy's handling of sailor's disappearance Esmerelda Castle's Statement CNN - Missing Sailor