Body found in search for missing Texas teen with ties to SoCal, no foul play suspected: Sheriff

A body has been found amid a search for a Texas teenager who was last seen on Christmas Eve, authorities said Tuesday.

Camila Mendoza Olmos, 19, was last seen Wednesday morning, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s office.

At around 4:40 p.m. local time, authorities found a body while searching a field approximately 100 yards from Mendoza Olmos’ home, in northwest Bexar County, said Sheriff Javier Salazar.

The area where the body was found had been previously searched, Salazar said during a press briefing Tuesday.

“Due to tall grass, we felt that there would be a benefit to checking the area once again,” said Salazar.

About ten minutes into the search, authorities with the sheriff’s office and FBI found the body.

Salazar said that “it’s too early to tell if the body that we found is that of Camila but at this point we don’t suspect foul play.”

The Medical Examiner’s office will determine the body’s identity and cause of death, he said.

The body was found in clothing similar to a description of what Mendoza Olmos may have been wearing when she went missing, Salazar said.

“This is certainly not the outcome we were hoping for,” he said.

Salazar noted there were some indicators of self-harm.

A firearm was located at the scene where the body was found, Salazar said. A firearm belonging to a relative of Mendoza Olmos’ has been missing, he said. Authorities have not yet determined if the missing firearm is a match for the one observed at the scene, he said.

Salazar said one possibility investigators were working under regarding the teen’s disappearance was the “fear of self-harm,” and that there were some “indicators of suicidal ideation” and undiagnosed signs of depression.

“From what’s being described to us, it sounds like it was a young person going through a very tough time in their life,” he said.

Mendoza Olmos grew up in Southern California and still has close family ties.

“It’s been very heartbreaking,” Priscilla Flores, Mendoza Olmos’ cousin, told Eyewitness News Monday. “It’s just unbelievable, everything that’s going on, especially this time of year.”

The worried family that’s hundreds of miles away from Texas is desperate for answers. Mendoza Olmos was born in Ontario and went to elementary school there.

“(It’s) very overwhelming for everyone. All these scenarios running through our heads… none of us really know what happened,” family member Jaclyn Flores said. “We just know this is not her. It’s not like her.”

Dashboard camera video released this week may show Mendoza Olmos right when she went missing. Investigators believe footage shows the college student walking near her home the morning she disappeared.

Mendoza Olmos was seen on surveillance video rummaging through her car Christmas Eve morning, then walking out of sight.

Her family said she left without her phone.

No Credible Evidence Supports Latest Rumors in Camila “Cami” Mendoza Olmos Tragedy — Claims of Argument, “Couldn’t Breathe” Statement, and Changed Police Conclusion Remain Unverified

As communities in San Antonio and beyond prepare to honor the life of Camila “Cami” Mendoza Olmos on January 3, 2026, with a public balloon release and celebration of life, persistent online rumors continue to circulate despite official confirmations. The latest unsubstantiated claims — alleging sources revealed Cami told a friend she “couldn’t breathe” after an argument with her ex-boyfriend, neighbors heard shouting, and police have reversed their suicide ruling — have no backing from credible news reports or authorities as of January 3, 2026.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled Cami’s death a suicide by gunshot wound to the head on December 31, 2025, following the discovery of her body in a field just 100 yards from her Wildhorse subdivision home. A firearm recovered at the scene matched a missing one from a relative. Sheriff Javier Salazar consistently stated there were no signs of foul play, describing the 19-year-old as “going through a very tough time” with indicators of undiagnosed depression and prior suicidal ideations, compounded by a recent mutual breakup.

Cami vanished on Christmas Eve morning, captured on home surveillance rummaging through her car before walking away in pajamas and a hoodie, leaving her phone behind. Dashcam footage later showed a figure matching her description walking alone nearby. Extensive searches involving the FBI, drones, and volunteers ended tragically on December 30.

Her separated parents, Rosario Olmos and Alfonso Mendoza, expressed heartbreak, with the family issuing a statement via aunt Nancy Olmos: “Our beloved Camila Mendoza Olmos is now with the Good Lord.” Friends like Ava Martinez remembered her as a joyful, faith-filled aspiring orthodontist whose light touched many lives.

No reports mention arguments overheard by neighbors, statements about “couldn’t breathe,” or any shift in the official conclusion. Cami’s ex-boyfriend cooperated with investigators, and the mutual nature of their breakup was noted without suspicion. These rumors appear to originate from unverified social media, amplifying misinformation during a sensitive time.

Positively, the case has spurred action: Calls to local mental health helplines tripled, and the Youth Peace and Justice Foundation honored Cami with a memorial tree — the first for a gun-related suicide — in its Trees for Peace initiative.

As the community gathers today for remembrance, focus remains on celebrating Cami’s life and promoting mental health awareness. Resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are available 24/7 for those in need.

Cami’s story reminds us of hidden struggles and the importance of reaching out. Her memory endures as a beacon of kindness in those who knew her.