A Navy sailor confessed on Monday to the murder of fellow sailor, 21-year-old Angelina Resendiz, within his barracks room last year. This admission has brought a sense of closure to her mother while raising fresh concerns among Resendiz’s family and advocates about potential missed intervention opportunities by military authorities.
Esmi Castle, whose daughter was discovered lifeless in a wooded area near Norfolk, approximately 10 miles from Naval Station Norfolk in June 2025, shared with News Media that Jeremiah Copeland’s courtroom confession provided answers to the unresolved questions surrounding her daughter’s death. However, she expressed her belief that the tragedy might have been avoidable.
According to a report by USNI News, Copeland entered a guilty plea during a general court-martial to the unpremeditated murder of Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Angelina Resendiz. Additionally, he admitted to making a false official statement, committing aggravated assault involving a second individual, and engaging in indecent recording related to a third victim.
Accompanied by images of Naval Station Norfolk, where Resendiz was stationed, and a family-provided photo of Resendiz, the news of her fellow sailor’s guilty plea reverberated through the community. (Reuters / Courtesy of Esmi Castle)
During the court proceedings, Copeland acknowledged strangling Resendiz on May 29, 2025. He told the military judge, “I killed CS3 Resendiz on May 29, 2025 … I strangled her with my hands,” as reported by USNI News. Despite the medical examiner’s previous ruling of an undetermined cause of death, Copeland’s courtroom admission affirmed that he had indeed strangled her.
Angelina Resendiz poses for a photo inside her barracks room while serving as a culinary specialist in the U.S. Navy. Her mother described her as ambitious and focused on advancing her military career before her death in 2025. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)
According to Copeland, Resendiz came to his barracks room on May 29, 2025, where the two drank alcohol and kissed before she became upset after seeing something on his phone. Copeland admitted in court Monday that he strangled Resendiz while trying to keep her from attracting the attention of other sailors.
Under the plea agreement, Copeland faces a minimum of 40 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, forfeiture of all pay and a reduction in rank. He will also be required to register as a sex offender, USNI News reported.
Castle said hearing the admission brought “peace of mind” after more than a year of uncertainty.
Angelina Resendiz wears her culinary specialist uniform in a photo provided by her family. Castle said her daughter aspired to join the Navy’s elite culinary competition team and eventually cook for world leaders. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)
“Now that I know, I don’t have to think about it anymore,” she told News Media.
Still, Castle argued that Navy leadership failed to adequately respond to earlier allegations involving Copeland.
“If they would have dealt with him when he started harming women, he would never have gotten to Angie,” she said.
Angelina Resendiz works as a culinary specialist while serving in the U.S. Navy. Her mother said she was dedicated to advancing her career and preparing for future promotions. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)
Castle said she believes multiple incidents involving other women should have triggered stronger action before her daughter’s death. Court records and prior reporting have described allegations involving other women, though not all allegations resulted in guilty pleas.
“Absolutely, yes,” Castle said when asked whether Copeland had a history of harming women. “There were four other women before he harmed Angie in the military.”
Before her death, Resendiz was working to advance her Navy career as a culinary specialist and hoped to one day join the service’s elite culinary competition team. Castle said her daughter dreamed of eventually cooking for presidents and other world leaders.
Angelina Resendiz, center, poses with family members during an outing before her death in 2025. Resendiz’s mother said the 21-year-old sailor hoped to build a long career in the Navy. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)
“She was trying to grow,” Castle said. “She was doing everything she could to get ready for promotion.”
Since her daughter’s death, Castle has become an outspoken advocate for military sexual violence victims, arguing that active-duty service members often lack meaningful avenues to seek accountability outside the military justice system.
One of her primary goals is creating a pathway for military sexual assault and violence survivors to pursue claims in civilian courts. Castle said victims are too often left with limited options when allegations are mishandled or ignored within the ranks.
Esmi Castle (center, pink jacket), the mother of slain Navy sailor Angelina Resendiz, joins military families and advocates in Washington, D.C., to push for reforms addressing sexual violence and accountability within the armed forces. (Courtesy of Esmi Castle)
“There’s no justice,” Castle said. “Victims are retaliated against. They get transferred. They get moved around.”
Castle recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with advocacy groups and other military families pushing for reforms. Through those efforts, she said she has met relatives of service members from multiple branches whose experiences convinced her the problem extends beyond a single case.
“Nothing’s changed,” Castle said. “We have statutes, and we have policies, and we have procedures that were implemented by Congress to protect service members from this type of violence. And nothing’s changed.”
An aerial view of Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where Angelina Resendiz and Jeremiah Copeland were stationed at the time of her death. (Reuters)
News Media has reached out to the U.S. Navy for comment.
Despite her criticism of the system, Castle said she does not harbor hatred toward Copeland. In fact, after the hearing, she spoke directly with him.
“I thanked him for telling the truth,” she said.
Castle also met with Copeland’s mother and grandmother, who attended the proceedings.
“We technically have all lost our kids,” Castle said.
Rather than expressing anger, Castle said she hopes Copeland uses the decades ahead of him in prison to change.
“He still can choose better,” she said, adding that she told Copeland that even while serving a lengthy prison sentence
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