Man arrested after allegedly killing his missing teen girlfriend and fleeing the country

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (TCN) — Authorities recently arrested a man as he was trying to return to the U.S. after allegedly killing his teen girlfriend and fleeing.

On June 30, the Morgan Hill Police Department received a report of a missing person, 18-year-old Marissa DiNapoli, after her family last heard from her via text two days prior. In the message, she reportedly said she was going to stay with a friend that night, but she didn’t return home the following day and failed to call anyone back.

According to police, DiNapoli was last seen leaving a home on Trail Drive with Martin Mendoza, who KRON-TV reports was her boyfriend. Investigators reportedly recovered her vehicle in the same area.

Authorities announced that a body was found on the night of July 2, and the Santa Clara County Coroner positively identified the victim as DiNapoli the next day.

Officers said Mendoza “was not cooperative,” and he became a person of interest in the case. In an updated release posted July 7, police said Mendoza was arrested at the California-Mexico border crossing as he was trying to return to the U.S. from Mexico. He faces a charge of murder.

In a statement, police wrote, “We ask that the community continue to keep Marissa’s family in your thoughts and hearts while respecting their request for privacy. Their loss is immeasurable, but together, through compassion, education, and unity, we can honor Marissa’s life and work to prevent future tragedies.”

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