Michael Pennell Jr. Investigated in Missing Woman Case

Michael Pennell Jr., a former NFL defensive tackle who played for the Chiefs last season, has emerged as a person of interest in the case concerning the remains of a missing woman in the Dominican Republic, as reported by ESPN.

The woman had been reported missing since 2021 and was discovered earlier this year on property once owned by Pennell.

According to two sources in the Dominican Republic, Pennell is a focus of the investigation.

Pennell’s attorney has stated that he did not know the woman and was not even in the country when she vanished. Pennell himself responded to the allegations by calling the story “fake news,” urging others to check with his legal team to avoid spreading misinformation.

Pennell, now 34 and currently a free agent, told ESPN he intends to fully cooperate with Dominican authorities to help clarify the situation. His lawyer, Alexander Balbuena, confirmed this commitment.

The missing woman, identified as Kari Francesca Guzmán Roche, was last seen on September 13, 2021, at the age of 22, after relocating to Sosua, where Pennell once owned a home in a gated community.

Guzmán’s body was found in January during ditch-digging work, and DNA testing from her son was needed for identification. The investigation is currently being treated as a homicide.

At this stage, it’s uncertain if there are additional persons of interest in this case, as ESPN has noted.

Balbuena seems to emphasize the importance of transparency, saying, “Ever since I found out about it, my main concern was to get to the bottom of it.”

It is also worth noting that Pennell has faced suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy three times and was sued in 2024 for $275,000 by Dwayne Haskins’ widow over a dog breeding business issue in the Dominican Republic.