Body found in search identified as missing Texas 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos: sheriff

BEXAR COUNTY, Texas (Gray News) – Texas authorities confirmed the body found on Tuesday in a field was indeed that of missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos.

According to the Bexar County medical examiner, Olmos died by suicide, multiple outlets report.

On Tuesday, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar updated the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of the 19-year-old, saying a body was found by a search team that went back to a previously searched grassy area.

Camilia Olmos, 19, seemingly disappeared around 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve.(Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said earlier in the investigation that the team believed a newly released dash camera video showed Olmos.

A neighbor had shared the video with the sheriff’s office. They were on their way to work around 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve when they passed a person who appeared to be the missing woman.

Authorities noted that they also believed that Olmos was in imminent danger.

“The criteria for a clear alert, which was issued in this case, is that there’s imminent danger. Now, we consider imminent danger to be anything from self-harm, uh, all the way through somebody kidnapping Camila, and all those possibilities exist at present,” Sheriff Javier Salazar said.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said it had previously conducted several searches with ground teams, drones and cadaver dogs.

Search crews and people in the community also handed out missing-persons flyers on Sunday.

Rosario Olmos, Olmos’ mother, said she thought her daughter had gone for a walk but soon realized something was wrong.

“I called her cell phone, but the cell phone was there on the bed, and it was turned off. So, I put it to charge and went out to look for her,” Rosario Olmos said. “I thought I would find her like other times, walking, and we would come home together.”

Rosario Olmos said it was not normal for her daughter to disappear like this.

Salazar said his office had been working all hours to help find the missing 19-year-old.

Anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office at 210-335-6000.

No Evidence of “Breaking Discovery” in Camila “Cami” Mendoza Olmos Case — Rumors of 0.6-Mile Distance and New Police Insights Unfounded

As San Antonio gathers on January 3, 2026, for a public balloon release and celebration of life honoring Camila “Cami” Mendoza Olmos, the 19-year-old whose tragic death shook the community, yet another wave of unverified social media rumors has emerged. Claims circulating online about a “breaking discovery” — alleging her body was found in an empty lot 0.6 miles from the family’s familiar route, with police citing this location as the reason searches initially missed her — do not align with official reports or credible news sources.

The facts remain unchanged: On December 30, 2025, search teams discovered Cami’s body in a field of tall grass near a landscaping company on FM 1560, just 100 to a few hundred yards (approximately 0.05 to 0.2 miles) from her home in the Wildhorse subdivision northwest of San Antonio. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar explained that the area had been searched earlier in the weeklong effort but was revisited due to dense vegetation and heavy brush, which likely concealed the site initially. A firearm was recovered nearby, matching a missing one from a relative.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled Cami’s death a suicide by gunshot wound to the head on December 31, with no evidence of foul play. Investigators noted prior indicators of undiagnosed depression and suicidal ideations, alongside a recent mutual breakup, but emphasized a comprehensive review of all possibilities.

Cami, a beloved aspiring orthodontist and Northwest Vista College student, was last seen on home surveillance around 7 a.m. Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025, before walking away in pajamas — leaving her phone and car behind. Her separated parents, Rosario Olmos and Alfonso Mendoza, endured agonizing days of hope during the search.

The family expressed gratitude in a statement via aunt Nancy Olmos: “Our beloved Camila Mendoza Olmos is now with the Good Lord.” Friends like Ava Martinez shared heartfelt tributes, remembering her warmth and faith.

In a positive ripple from the tragedy, 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 victim — in its national Trees for Peace initiative.

No credible updates as of January 3, 2026, mention a 0.6-mile distance, an “empty lot” distinct from the reported field, or any shift in police conclusions tied to a “crucial detail” on a familiar route. These details appear to stem from misinformation, amplifying pain during mourning.

Today’s events invite the community to celebrate Cami’s life with balloons and shared memories. Her story underscores the need for open conversations about mental health — resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are available 24/7.

In remembering Cami, focus turns to her joyful spirit and the lives she touched, offering solace amid profound loss.