NORFOLK, Va. — The sailor accused in the death of Seaman Angelina Resendiz appeared in military court Thursday at Naval Station Norfolk as attorneys and a judge debated what evidence and expert testimony will be allowed in the upcoming murder trial.
Jermiah Copeland, who is charged with murder in Resendiz’s death, appeared in court in uniform alongside his attorneys. Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom.
Resendiz was reported missing in May 2025. Her body was later found on June 9 in a wooded area of Norfolk’s Broad Creek neighborhood.
During Thursday’s motions hearing, the judge denied a defense request to suppress cellphone evidence in the case. The court ruled the data was legally obtained after Copeland handed his phone over to investigators and gave consent.
The defense had argued the cellphone search exceeded the scope of an earlier investigative order, but the judge said the evidence could not be suppressed because it was lawfully obtained.
Watch related: Navy timeline provides more details on hours, days following Resendiz's disappearance
Attorneys also argued a motion involving what is known in military law as an “unreasonable multiplication of charges,” which deals with whether Copeland could be convicted of multiple offenses tied to the same alleged incident. The judge did not immediately rule on that motion.
Another issue discussed in court involved expert testimony. The forensic pathologist originally expected to testify is no longer available, leading attorneys to debate whether a replacement expert — potentially from outside the region — should testify at trial.
The judge also did not rule on that motion Thursday.
At times during the hearing, Copeland appeared to show little emotion and was seen laughing and joking with his attorneys.
Copeland’s defense team has not responded to requests for comment about the charges and has not made themselves available for media interviews.
Danitza James, vice chair of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), attended the hearing Thursday on behalf of Resendiz’s family. She said advocates are focused on making sure the legal process is transparent and that the family sees justice.
Norfolk
TIMELINE: Everything we know about the death of Angelina Resendiz
“We are here to make sure that accountability and transparency is being served for the case of Angelina Resendiz,” James said.
James said the family believes the legal process will ultimately deliver justice.
“The family believes that justice can be served, and we are here to make sure that that happens,” she said.
Advocates working with the family are also pushing for an independent review of how the Navy handled the case. James said they recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to raise concerns with members of Congress.
“We asked for an independent committee to conduct a review of the process — what were the failures and what were the gaps that could have prevented this from happening,” James said.
James said congressional leaders have expressed support for the family’s push for answers.
“Their reactions have been extremely supportive,” she said, referring to meetings with lawmakers. “They want to make sure the Navy has the information needed and that there is accountability and transparency for the public.”
Watch: Full LULAC press conference pushing for more action in Angelina Resendiz case
Resendiz’s mother, Esmeralda Castle, has also raised concerns about the Navy’s response when her daughter first disappeared. Castle says Navy officials waited more than three days after speaking with her before issuing a missing-person alert for her daughter.
Despite those concerns, James said the family believes the court process is moving forward fairly.
“We saw several motions brought forward, and the judge was fair in considering them,” she said.
The court-martial trial is expected to begin in Norfolk in June and could last several weeks.
Watch: True Crime 757 podcast recaps the case of Angelina Resendiz
