NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — More pressure is being put on the Navy after the death of Angelina Resendiz in Norfolk.

During a news conference Monday, military veterans and members of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, called for the Navy to investigate how Resendiz’s death could have been prevented.

Officials say Resendiz, 21, was killed in the barracks and dumped near Broad Creek. Her body was found June 9 in Norfolk after she had been reported missing for more than 10 days.

They point at the suspect, Jermiah Copeland, who faces several charges in Resendiz’s killing, including murder, rape or sexual assault, sexual misconduct and obstruction of justice, and has been in pretrial confinement in connection to her death.

But they say the paths of Copeland and Resendiz should have never crossed. Copeland has a history of criminal activity, including charges of strangling and groping a shipmate while stationed on the USS Harry S. Truman.

Copeland’s alleged crimes date back to July 2024, according to information discussed in court earlier in September. Prosecutors allege Copeland assaulted and groped a woman sailor in July 2024 while assigned to the USS Harry S. Truman. Four months later, they allege he raped a woman sailor. In March, after Copeland had been transferred to the USS James Williams, strangled a sailor at his barracks, and she survived, and in May, four days before Resendiz went missing, Copeland allegedly pulled a civilian into his room and demanded oral and vaginal sex.

At the time of Resendiz’s death, she and Copeland were both assigned to the USS James E. Williams.

“The Navy must also investigate why Copeland was allowed to continue serving, and even transferred when he was under investigation — a predator being allowed to take advantage of women,” said U.S. Air Force veteran and league vice president Lawrence Romo.

Queta Rodriguez, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and on the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, said “we demand justice for Angelina for a full and fair prosecution and transparency. We demand accountability for Navy leaders who ignored red flags, and we demand transparency for her family and the public.”

Meanwhile, Resendiz’s mother, Esmerelda Castle, described her daughter as “fun, loving, bubbly, had attitude if she needed it, but [was] happy and good. She saw the good in everyone and in everybody.”

Others, to include Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, have also demanded answers from the Navy in regards to Resendiz’s death.

“We write to inquire about the Navy’s handling of the tragic death of Seaman Angelina P. Resendiz,” the senators said in a statement attributed to both of them. “While we acknowledge the Navy’s engagement with congressional offices to date, ongoing questions and concerns related to the period of her disappearance, the circumstances leading to her death, and the Navy’s policies and procedures throughout, demand answers.

“As the Navy continues its investigation, it is critical that you provide Congress with significantly greater detail about the circumstances of Seaman Resendiz’s disappearance and death, including a more fulsome accounting of the Navy’s engagement with Seaman Resendiz’s loved ones and fellow sailors who had raised concerns about her well-being.”

So far, the Navy has not directly responded to the latest push for accountability.