UMVA has learned that a Navy sailor, Petty Officer Jermiah Copeland, has been sentenced to 44 years in prison for strangling a 21-year-old fellow service member, Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Angelina Resendiz, inside his barracks room.
The shocking case has raised questions about missed warning signs and the military's handling of prior allegations against Copeland. The sentencing comes after Copeland pleaded guilty to unpremeditated murder and related charges, admitting that he killed Resendiz on May 29, 2025, after the two had been drinking and she became upset over something she saw on his phone.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Copeland's guilty plea was followed by a scathing statement from Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Special Agent in Charge Emily Schmid, who vowed that Copeland would be held fully accountable for his heinous actions. The victim's mother, Esmi Castle, had been vocal about her concerns that military leaders missed opportunities to intervene before her daughter's death.
Resendiz's disappearance had triggered a 10-day search led by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which ultimately recovered her remains in a wooded area near Norfolk and arrested Copeland. The sailor will also receive a dishonorable discharge, forfeit all pay and allowances, be reduced in rank to Seaman Apprentice, and be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.
The case has drawn broader scrutiny, with Resendiz's mother arguing that prior allegations involving Copeland and other women should have prompted stronger action. Castle had previously expressed her concerns, stating that if the military had dealt with Copeland when he started harming women, he would never have been able to harm her daughter.
Despite criticizing the military's handling of the case, Castle found some measure of closure after hearing Copeland admit responsibility for the killing, saying she thanked him for telling the truth. Resendiz had been working to advance her career as a Navy culinary specialist and hoped to one day cook for presidents and world leaders.
