A Navy cook dinner has been charged with homicide, rape and different violations of the Uniform Code of Army Justice in a case involving a sailor who was discovered lifeless in June in Norfolk, Virginia.
Culinary Specialist Jeremiah Copeland, previously of Oak Harbor, Washington, has been in custody since Seaman Angelina Resendiz, 21, was found deceased in a wooded space roughly 10 miles from Naval Station Norfolk.
Resendiz, additionally a culinary specialist, was assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams. She was final seen on Could 29; her physique was discovered June 9.
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In keeping with the Navy’s preliminary listening to paperwork, Copeland faces costs involving at the very least six felony acts, together with homicide; rape or sexual assault; sexual misconduct; wrongfully broadcasting or distributing intimate photographic knowledge; making false official statements; and obstructing justice.
Washington state court docket data present that Copeland confronted costs in 2022 as a juvenile earlier than he joined the Navy. The Whidbey News-Instances reported that Copeland was investigated by the Island County Sheriff’s Workplace for a misdemeanor of “disclosing intimate photos.”
He allegedly had consensual intercourse with a woman who wasn’t conscious that Copeland was recording them. Copeland entered right into a diversion settlement that ended after he accomplished neighborhood service and paid his price. He didn’t full a required 10 hours of psychological well being counseling and will have been charged as an grownup as soon as he turned 18, however prosecutors determined towards it, based on the paper.
Copeland will face an Article 32 listening to — a preliminary listening to much like a grand jury continuing for civilians – on Sept. 18.
In keeping with media accounts and a letter despatched to the Navy by Virginia’s two senators, Democrats Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, family and friends filed a lacking individual’s report on Resendiz on Could 31 after they might not attain her and he or she didn’t present up for work.
Virginia State Police issued a Critically Lacking Alert on the request of the Naval Felony Investigative Service on June 3.
Esmeralda Citadel, Resendiz’s mom, flew to Norfolk throughout the interval and sought conferences with the ship’s command, however stated June 7 that the Navy had not been forthcoming with particulars relating to the case.
A spokesman for the workplace of the Virginia Medical Examiner stated Wednesday that each the reason for Resendiz’s dying and method of her dying had been “undetermined.”
Copeland was taken into custody shortly after Resendiz’s stays had been discovered and remained in pretrial confinement in reference to the investigation “at [Naval Surface Force Atlantic’s] discretion,” based on a press release offered by the Naval Felony Investigative Service.
The Navy’s Workplace of Particular Trial Counsel is dealing with the case. Navy public affairs officers stated that they had nothing so as to add aside from what was printed on the service’s Choose Advocate Basic Corps web site.
Resendiz joined the Navy in August 2023 and reported to the James E. Williams in February 2024. She made the rank of seaman in February 2025.
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