Lead: Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Wednesday he strongly believes human remains found in a field a few hundred yards from a San Antonio home belong to 19-year-old Camila “Cami” Mendoza Olmos, who vanished on Dec. 24. Deputies and FBI agents located the remains Tuesday afternoon near the 11000 block of Caspian Spring; the family was notified that night. The county medical examiner had not completed a formal identification or ruled on cause and manner of death as of Wednesday morning.
Key takeaways
- Remains and a firearm were discovered around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday in a field a few hundred yards from Mendoza Olmos’s home in the 11000 block of Caspian Spring.
- Sheriff Javier Salazar said he “personally feels strongly” the remains are the missing 19-year-old, though the medical examiner had not yet issued an official identification.
- Mendoza Olmos was last seen the morning of Dec. 24; security and dash-cam video captured a person believed to be her near her vehicle and walking along Wildhorse Parkway around 7 a.m.
- Search efforts over six days included Bexar County deputies, FBI agents, drones, cadaver dogs and volunteer groups such as Texas EquuSearch; the family was informed Tuesday night that the remains belonged to her.
- Clothing at the scene matched descriptions of what she was wearing when she disappeared; deputies said they had been looking for a missing family firearm but have not confirmed the weapon found is the same one.
- Investigators said they were following homicide protocols while processing the scene; Salazar previously said investigators did not suspect foul play but continued to examine evidence.
- Authorities said Mendoza Olmos had a history of depression and episodes of self-harm and that investigators had learned of suicidal ideation during the search.
Background
Camila “Cami” Mendoza Olmos, 19, had been reported missing after being last seen at her residence the morning of Dec. 24, Christmas Eve. She lived with her mother in the 11000 block of Caspian Spring; her father, who is separated from her mother, also lives nearby and has described her as a caring young woman studying at Northwest Vista College with plans to become an orthodontist.
The family and community launched search efforts quickly, aided by volunteers and nonprofit search teams. Texas EquuSearch, a Houston-based search-and-rescue nonprofit, joined the search, and the Youth Peace and Justice Foundation helped coordinate volunteers and offered a reward for information. Community members and family canvassed nearby areas in the days after her disappearance, focusing initial searches on fields and brush close to the neighborhood.
Main event
On Tuesday afternoon a joint team of Bexar County deputies and FBI agents returned to a field a short distance from Mendoza Olmos’s home and found human remains and a firearm at about 4:45 p.m. Sheriff Salazar said the search team had passed through the same field earlier in the week but elected to search it again because tall grass and heavy brush may have concealed evidence.
Authorities said clothing at the location matched descriptions of the outfit Mendoza Olmos wore the morning she disappeared. Deputies had been seeking a family member’s firearm that had been reported missing from the home; they have not confirmed whether the weapon recovered at the field is that same firearm.
Sheriff Salazar posted a social media video Wednesday saying that while it was too early to make a definitive scientific identification or determine cause and manner of death, he personally felt the remains were Mendoza Olmos’s. The Bexar County Medical Examiner was continuing examinations and had not yet issued an official identification by Wednesday morning.
During the week of searching, investigators deployed drones, cadaver dogs and a mobile command post at nearby Krueger Elementary School. Hundreds of volunteers joined organized searches; Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller traveled from Houston to assist and planned additional search efforts in coordination with local teams.
Analysis & implications
The proximity of the discovery to Mendoza Olmos’s residence — only a few hundred yards — underscores how quickly critical evidence can be obscured in heavily vegetated suburban parcels. Investigators’ decision to revisit the field highlights a common challenge in missing-person searches: initial sweeps can miss small or concealed evidence in rough terrain.
If the medical examiner confirms the remains as Mendoza Olmos’s and determines a noncriminal cause, that outcome will shift the focus from criminal investigation to public health and prevention efforts. Conversely, a determination of homicide would trigger expanded criminal inquiry, likely involving prolonged forensic work and potential state or federal involvement given the FBI’s presence at the scene.
The case also spotlights gaps in long-term support and suicide-prevention infrastructure for teens and young adults. Local nonprofit leaders have called for permanent, sustainable programs to educate families and intervene earlier — a public-policy debate that could gain urgency if the death is linked to mental-health crises.
Comparison & data
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Dec. 24 | Mendoza Olmos last seen at home (~6:58 a.m.); security and dash-cam footage recorded a person believed to be her. |
| Dec. 24–30 | Searches by family, volunteers, Texas EquuSearch, Bexar County deputies; mobile command post established near Krueger Elementary School. |
| Tuesday (week of Dec. 29–31) | Deputies and FBI agents found human remains and a firearm at ~4:45 p.m. in a nearby field. |
| Wednesday | Sheriff Salazar posted that he strongly believes the remains are Mendoza Olmos’s; medical examiner had not issued official ID as of Wednesday morning. |
The timeline shows an intensive, multi-day community response concentrated within a small radius of the family home. Repeated searches and volunteer mobilization are typical in missing-person cases in suburban areas where vegetation and terrain can conceal evidence until conditions or search methods change.
Reactions & quotes
Family reaction was immediate and anguished. Her father, Alfonso Mendoza, had pleaded publicly for help in finding his daughter shortly before authorities recovered the remains.
“Daddy’s waiting for her.”
— Alfonso Mendoza, father
Mendoza’s father described her as warm and active in the neighborhood and said he did not believe she left voluntarily. That sentiment has been echoed in portions of the community that mobilized to search with organized teams and ad-hoc volunteers.
“Although it’s still too early to definitively say that it’s her … or what happened to that body that caused the death, I personally feel strongly that it is her.”
— Sheriff Javier Salazar, Bexar County
Sheriff Salazar framed his statement carefully, noting the medical examiner’s role in formal identification while expressing his personal conviction. He also urged residents to check on loved ones and to use available mental-health resources.
“We need a system that intervenes and empowers communities and families, before a young person reaches a breaking point.”
— Daniel Chapin, Founder, Youth Peace and Justice Foundation
Local advocacy leaders used the case to call for permanent funding and programs to address youth mental health and crisis intervention, pushing elected officials to establish sustained services rather than temporary measures.
Unconfirmed
- The Bexar County Medical Examiner had not yet officially confirmed the remains as Camila Mendoza Olmos as of Wednesday morning.
- It has not been confirmed whether the firearm found at the scene is the same weapon reported missing from the family home.
- Cause and manner of death have not been released; any suggestion about suicide or foul play remains pending ME confirmation and further investigation.
Bottom line
The discovery of human remains near Camila Mendoza Olmos’s home and the family’s notification mark a painful and pivotal moment in a weeklong search. Sheriff Salazar’s public comments reflect a working belief among investigators and family members, but formal forensic confirmation by the medical examiner is still outstanding and essential to close factual gaps.
Beyond this case, the incident has re-energized community calls for durable mental-health support and earlier intervention systems for young people in distress. Officials and advocacy groups are urging sustained resources and clearer prevention strategies as the next steps regardless of the medical examiner’s forthcoming findings.
Sources
- San Antonio Express-News (regional news)
- Texas EquuSearch (nonprofit search and rescue)
- Bexar County (official county website)