Sailor Angelina Resendiz was killed in Norfolk Navy barracks, prosecutors say

Emma Rose Brown, The Virginian-Pilot on Sep 18, 2025

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NORFOLK, Va. — Navy prosecutors allege that a fellow sailor killed Angelina Resendiz in his barracks at Naval Station Norfolk, then dumped her body in a wooded area in the city.

In a hearing Thursday morning, prosecutors gave their fullest account yet of the case against Seaman Jermiah T. Copeland. He is accused of killing Resendiz as well as victimizing other sailors in incidents that date back to last year.

Copeland faces eight charges, spanning a year and two separate ships, the USS James E. Williams and USS Harry S. Truman.

Copeland faces charges of premeditated murder and obstruction of justice charges in Resendiz’s killing, as well as additional charges of sex crimes, domestic violence strangulation, wrongful broadcast, indecent recording and broadcasting , false official statements, and obstruction of justice dating back to separate incidents involving four other victims beginning in July 2024.

Prosecutors allege that Copeland killed Resendiz in the early hours of May 29 in his barracks room. They said he concealed her body for days in a black duffel bag his closet before dragging it down the stairs of the barracks hall in the early hours of June 2. He then drove her remains to a wooded location off Cary Avenue where he dumped the duffel bag. It was found one week later..

Copeland’s counsel is scheduled to respond to the government’s case by Sep. 23.