Authorities Search for Missing Woman as Boyfriend Named Person of Interest — Body Discovered Amid Investigation
Authorities confirmed that a body was discovered during the ongoing search, but identification has not yet been made. “Due to the condition of the body, we were unable to make an identification,” the Morgan Hill Police Department said in a statement. “We will need to wait for the results of the medical examination before we can provide any further information.”
Body Discovered Near Site Where Missing California Teen Was Last Seen
Police in California have discovered a body just three-and-a-half miles from the location where missing 18-year-old Marissa DiNapoli was last seen, authorities confirmed.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said the body was found under a bridge near Anderson Lake County Park, a location tied to DiNapoli's last known whereabouts. Authorities have not confirmed the identity of the deceased.
“Due to the condition of the body, we were unable to make an identification,” the Morgan Hill Police Department said in a statement to NBC Bay Area. “We will need to wait for the results of the medical examination before we can provide any further information.”
According to police, it was DiNapoli’s family who made the tragic discovery while searching the area themselves earlier in the day.
DiNapoli was last heard from on the night of June 28, when she texted family members at 9:16 p.m., saying she was staying with a friend and would return the following day. When she failed to return home or respond to calls, her family reported her missing, the Morgan Hill Police Department said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Boyfriend Named Person of Interest After Body Found Near Area Where Missing Teen Was Last Seen
Authorities in Morgan Hill, California, are continuing their investigation into the disappearance of 18-year-old Marissa DiNapoli after a body was found Sunday under a bridge near Anderson Lake County Park — just three-and-a-half miles from where she was last seen.
According to the Morgan Hill Police Department, DiNapoli was last seen on the morning of June 29 at 9:45 a.m. with her boyfriend, 21-year-old Martin Mendoza, who has since been named a person of interest in her disappearance. The two were seen leaving a residence just outside of Morgan Hill, where DiNapoli’s car was later recovered.
Surveillance footage captured that same morning reportedly shows Mendoza confronting DiNapoli as they exited the home. “Why would you text your ex?” he was heard saying, according to The Morgan Hill Times.
Close friends and family have expressed deep concern over Mendoza’s behavior. Jaslyn Gutierrez, DiNapoli’s best friend, told NBC Bay Area that DiNapoli had voiced fears about Mendoza in the past. “Marissa has told me, firsthand in the car with my friends outside of my house, that he would kill her, that he would not stop, that he’s obsessed with her, that he’s crazy and that he’s willing to go to that extent,” Gutierrez said.
Friends also told reporters that Anderson Lake was a location Mendoza frequently took DiNapoli, adding to the concern after the body was discovered nearby. Authorities have not confirmed whether the body is DiNapoli’s.
“Due to the condition of the body, we were unable to make an identification,” the Morgan Hill Police Department said in a statement. “We will need to wait for the results of the medical examination before we can provide any further information.”
Police confirmed it was DiNapoli’s family who found the body while conducting their own search in the area.
A family member told NBC Bay Area that they reached out to Mendoza during the search. “He tried to say he wasn’t Martin and then followed that with he hasn’t spoken to her for two weeks,” said family friend Serina Soque. “But there's a positive video of him being there on the 29th with her and leaving with her.”
DiNapoli was last heard from on the night of June 28, when she texted her family around 9:16 p.m. to say she was staying with a friend and would be home the next day. When she failed to return or answer calls, her family reported her missing.
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