There's a very unsettling correlation between the case of a Morgan Hill 18-year-old girl who’s been missing since Sunday and the discovery of a human body found Wednesday in that area, and police just confirmed that the body is hers.
The Santa Clara County city of Morgan Hill has been on edge this week, as an 18-year-old woman named Marissa DiNapoli has been missing since Sunday, as KRON4 reports. The recent high school graduate’s black Ford Mustang convertible has already been recovered, without her in it, near that community’s area of Trail Drive where she was last seen Sunday.
FBI SF is assisting Morgan Hill PD to find Marissa DiNapoli. Marissa was last seen 6/29 with Martin Mendoza who is considered a person of interest in Marissa’s disappearance. Detectives are seeking information on his whereabouts and urge anyone with knowledge to contact MHPD pic.twitter.com/F2RXyhO6oo
— FBI SanFrancisco (@FBISanFrancisco) July 2, 2025
DiNapoli’s last communication with her family was at 9:16 pm the night of Saturday, June 28. “She indicated that she planned to stay with a friend for the evening and would return home the following day,” the Morgan Hill Police Department said in a statement. “When she did not return home, or respond to calls from family members, she was reported missing.”
Missing in Morgan Hill: Marissa DiNapoli
— Amy Larson (@AmyLarson25) July 3, 2025
Today FBI agents joined @MorganHillPD in the search for DiNapoli, 18. She was last seen with Martin Mendoza. He is not cooperating with police, and he's a "person of interest," police said.
Story: https://t.co/D6Gr3B8E7U pic.twitter.com/WtNsMJmnPb
And police had already identified her former romantic partner, identified as Martin Mendoza, as a person of interest. Police described Mendoza as “not cooperative” when they interviewed him. And one of DiNapoli’s friends told NBC Bay Area, "Marissa has told me, firsthand in the car with my friends outside of my house, that [Mendoza] would kill her, that he would not stop, that he’s obsessed with her, that he’s crazy and that he’s willing to go to that extent.”
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office confirmed a body was found near Anderson Lake County Park on Wednesday, but authorities aren't clear if it is connected to the case of missing 18-year-old Marissa DiNapoli. https://t.co/qZx2R1fqRr pic.twitter.com/mQYN7gxDs0
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) July 3, 2025
Now there's a heartbreaking connection, as KTVU is reported Wednesday night that police found a body near that area while searching for DiNapoli. The body was found Wednesday night at about 7:30 pm at the Woodchopper Flats picnic area near the Anderson River reservoir. But the body was in such bad condition that coroners were unable to confirm the identity of the individual.
Until late Thursday, wheh NBC Bay Area reported that police confirmed the body was that of Marissa DiNapoli.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Marissa, and at this time, our family kindly asks for privacy as we grieve and navigate this difficult journey," DiNapoli's family said in a statement provided by the Morgan Hill Police Department. "We appreciate the love and support from those who have reached out. In honoring Marissa’s memory, we kindly ask that no GoFundMe accounts or donation pages be created. If you wish to show support, please do so through your prayers, kind words, and cherished memories. Thank you for understanding and respecting our wishes during this deeply personal time."
Meanwhile, the person of interest Mendoza disappeared after being interviewed by police. He’s believed to be driving a white Toyota Camry with the license plates of either CW87W00 or 9PTM351.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Morgan Hill Police Department at (669) 253-4962 or by submitting an anonymous tip at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Related: Family of 18-Year-Old Missing Since Halloween Says Her Body Has Been Found by Police Divers [SFist]
Image: Morgan Hill Police Department
