Authorities in Texas say a body has been found during the search for 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, who disappeared from her San Antonio home early on Christmas Eve, though officials caution that identification has not yet been confirmed.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said during a media briefing Tuesday that deputies located a body in a field between approximately 4:40 and 4:45 p.m. The site is located only a few hundred yards from Camila’s residence.
“At this point it’s too early to tell if the body that we’ve found is that of Camila, but at this point we don’t suspect foul play,” Salazar said.
Investigators said they are exploring the possibility that the death may be related to self-harm. Salazar noted that information gathered during the investigation suggested Camila may have been struggling emotionally prior to her disappearance.
“During the course of the investigation, we developed some information that there may have been some suicidal ideations on Camila’s part before, some signs of depression undiagnosed, as far as we can tell,” Salazar said. “From what’s being described to us, it sounds like it was a young person going through a very tough time in their life.”
The sheriff added that a firearm was found near the body and that a weapon belonging to a family member had been reported missing. He said no testing has yet been conducted to determine whether the firearm is connected to the case.
A medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death. Authorities expect the identification process to take one to two days, though Salazar said officials are working to move as quickly as possible.
“We hope we can expedite that process to be able to get the community answers that everybody’s been waiting for,” he said.
The body was discovered in an area that had previously been searched. Salazar explained that investigators returned to the location because tall grass may have obscured visibility during earlier efforts.
“This afternoon we made a conscious decision to go back to an area that had already been checked,” Salazar said. “The body was found just minutes into that renewed search.”
Following the discovery, Texas officials discontinued the Clear Alert that had been issued for Camila.
Camila was last seen outside her home in northwest Bexar County just before 7 a.m. on December 24. Authorities said she was wearing light blue pajama shorts, a black hoodie, and white shoes. Surveillance footage captured an individual believed to be Camila searching her vehicle that morning, though her car was later found still parked at the home.
Investigators believe she left on foot, carrying only her keys and possibly her driver’s license. Multiple agencies assisted in the search, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, which monitored border crossings and international travel during the investigation.
The sheriff’s office said it will provide updates once the medical examiner completes the identification process.
