Authorities discovered a body near where an 18-year-old, Marissadinapoli, was last seen a few days ago. Her ex-boyfriend, identified as a person of interest in the case, has been described as obsessive.
The body was found on Wednesday close to Anderson Lake County Park in Morgan Hill, California. As of now, it hasn’t been confirmed that it’s Dinapoli, who was last seen on Sunday.
Mario Ramirez, a captain at the Morgan Hill Police Station, mentioned that he couldn’t verify the identification right away due to the condition of the body. It has been sent to the county medical examiner’s office for further analysis.
This is the same park where Dinapoli reportedly went on a date with Martin Mendoza, her ex-boyfriend, who she had previously expressed concerns about, stating he could “kill her,” according to her friends.
On June 18th, she texted her family saying she’d be spending time with friends and would come home the following day, but she never returned. Surveillance footage captured her around 9:45 AM on Sunday. Mendoza was later seen leaving the area in a vehicle, not far from where Dinapoli’s car was found.
Mendoza has been described as “uncooperative” with investigators, leading to him being named a person of interest. Authorities are seeking public assistance in locating him, noting he may be driving a white Toyota Camry.
On Wednesday evening, friends and family gathered at the park after searching other locations. Jaslyn Gutierrez, who considered Dinapoli her best friend, shared that Dinapoli had voiced fears about Mendoza, highlighting his obsessive behavior.
“Marissa told me in the car with a friend outside my house that he would kill her, that he wouldn’t stop, that he was obsessed with her,” Gutierrez recounted.
Dinapoli’s friend, Selina Seok, mentioned that the family had reached out to Mendoza after her disappearance. Although the couple was not in a relationship at the time, they had briefly reconnected as friends in May.
A drone operator in one of Anderson Lake Park’s picnic areas spotted what appeared to be a body, which later was confirmed. Reports indicate the identification process could take several days, especially with the approaching holiday weekend, according to Ramirez.
