Body found during search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, Bexar County sheriff says
Sheriff Javier Salazar says it is too early to tell if the body is Mendoza Olmos; firearm found near body
Firearm found near body discovered in search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, sheriff says
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Firearm found near body discovered in search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, sheriff says
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Body found during search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, Bexar County sheriff says
WATCH: Bexar County sheriff says body found during search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos
WATCH: Bexar County sheriff provides update on search efforts for Camila Mendoza Olmos
WATCH: BCSO shares video of pedestrian believed to be missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos
Mental health among concerns in search for missing 19-year-old, Bexar County sheriff says
BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A body was found during the search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Tuesday.
Salazar said it is too early to tell if the body is Mendoza Olmos, who was last seen on the morning of Dec. 24 outside her family home in the 11000 block of Caspian Spring in northwest Bexar County.
Around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, a joint team consisting of FBI and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office members went back to a previously searched area when they found the body in tall grass, Salazar said.
Watch the full Tuesday news conference below:
WATCH: Bexar County sheriff says body found during search for missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos
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The body was found 10 minutes into the search, at the Burnin’ Bush landscaping company a few hundred yards from Mendoza Olmos’ residence. According to Salazar, a firearm was also found near the body.
Salazar said investigators were looking for a family member’s missing firearm. It’s still unclear if the recovered weapon is the same one reported missing.
The sheriff said investigators don’t suspect foul play but believe self-harm may be a “possibility.”
The clothing on the body matched one of the descriptions of Mendoza Olmos’ clothing when she went missing, Salazar said.
“Don’t take anything for granted … sometimes when everything seems to be OK … they are coming to peace with the fact they are ending their life. … Reach out and get help,” Salazar said.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will confirm identification of the body, along with the cause and manner of death.
BREAKING UPDATE: Body Found in Search for Missing Texas Teen Camila Mendoza Olmos
In a tragic development on December 30, 2025, authorities in Bexar County, Texas, announced the discovery of a body during the ongoing search for 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, who vanished from her northwest San Antonio home on Christmas Eve morning. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar confirmed that the body was located in a field approximately 100 to 300 yards from her residence in the Wildhorse neighborhood, near Loop 1604 and Braun Road.
The body was found wearing clothing that closely matched the description of what Camila was last seen wearing: a baby-blue and black hoodie, baby-blue pajama bottoms, and white shoes. A firearm was also discovered near the body, which investigators linked to a missing gun belonging to a family member. Sheriff Salazar emphasized that, while formal identification is pending from the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office, authorities do not suspect foul play at this stage. “At this point, we don’t suspect foul play,” Salazar stated during a press briefing, adding that there were indications the death may have resulted from self-harm.
Investigators had previously developed information suggesting Camila may have been experiencing a mental health crisis, including possible suicidal ideations. “She was going through a tough time,” Salazar noted, though he stressed that the exact cause and manner of death await forensic results.
Camila Mendoza Olmos was last seen around 7 a.m. on December 24, 2025—Christmas Eve—on home surveillance footage. The video captured her rummaging through her car in the driveway of her home on the 11000 block of Caspian Spring before walking away on foot. She left behind her cellphone (which was turned off in her room) and did not take her vehicle, despite apparently having her car keys. Her mother, Rosario Olmos, initially believed Camila had gone for her usual morning walk but grew alarmed when she did not return.
A subsequent dashcam video, released by authorities on December 29 and provided by a neighbor heading to work, showed a pedestrian believed to be Camila walking northbound along Wildhorse Parkway near her home shortly after leaving the house. The footage, described as the “last confirmed sighting,” depicted a figure matching her clothing and build.
The disappearance prompted a massive multi-agency response. A CLEAR Alert was issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, indicating officials believed Camila was in “imminent danger of bodily injury or death.” The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, and volunteer groups like Texas EquuSearch conducted extensive ground and air searches. Over 100 volunteers, including family members who traveled from California, joined efforts in the days following her vanishing.
Camila’s family described her as a loving, joyful young woman who frequently expressed affection. Her father, Alfonso Mendoza, spoke of her habitual smiles, laughter, and hugs, saying she often told him “I love you” and gave him kisses on the cheek. Her brother, Carlos Mendoza, flew in immediately upon hearing the news, and relatives emphasized that disappearing without contact was entirely out of character. Friends portrayed her as fun-loving and active in church activities.
Born in Mexico with dual U.S.-Mexican citizenship, Camila moved to San Antonio from California around age 6. She was 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighed about 110 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Authorities had explored various possibilities, including abduction or human trafficking, but no evidence supported those theories.
The discovery came during a renewed search on December 30, shortly after volunteers and deputies revisited a previously checked wooded area with tall grass near a landscaping company. The body was located around 4:40-4:45 p.m. local time, just minutes into that day’s efforts in some reports.
As of December 31, 2025, the CLEAR Alert has been discontinued, and the Medical Examiner’s Office is working to confirm identity and determine the official cause of death. Sheriff Salazar urged patience, stating, “We hope that we can try to expedite that process to be able to get the community answers that everybody’s been waiting for.”
This case has gripped the San Antonio community, turning what began as a hopeful holiday search into a heartbreaking conclusion. Family members, who spent Christmas and the following days desperately seeking Camila, now face profound grief. “It is the most terrible day of my life,” Rosario Olmos had said earlier.
While the proximity of the body to her home, the matching clothing, and the presence of the firearm strongly suggest it is Camila, official confirmation is awaited. No signs of struggle were reported at the scene, aligning with the preliminary assessment of no foul play.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate, and anyone with additional information is asked to contact them at 210-335-6000 or [email protected].
This update marks a somber end to 2025 for the Mendoza Olmos family and the broader community, highlighting the importance of mental health awareness. Resources like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988 in the U.S.) remain available for those in crisis.
