BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Neighbors in a far northwest Bexar County neighborhood are heartbroken after learning that a body found Tuesday afternoon is Camila Mendoza Olmos.
The 19-year-old had been reported missing by family members the morning of Christmas Eve.
On Wednesday afternoon, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar confirmed to KSAT that it was Mendoza Olmos who was found dead. Her death was ruled a suicide.
>> Body identified as missing 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos; Death ruled a suicide, authorities say
“It’s terribly sad,” neighbor Betty Jo Blietz said.
Blietz said she had been following the news about Mendoza Olmos since she vanished from outside her home on Caspian Spring, not far from Wildhorse Parkway and Braun Road.
The sheriff’s office had been leading the search for Mendoza Olmos.
In televised interviews earlier in the week, Salazar had said he believed she was in danger, and that she had a history of depression and “suicidal ideations.”
The case garnered national attention and spurred people throughout the county into action.
“The community really did rally together, which I was glad to see that,” said Blietz. “Anybody that was available was coming out.”
While Blietz was not able to join the large crowds who gathered each morning to conduct civilian searches, she said she kept a constant watch as she went about her everyday life.
Mendoza Olmos’ disappearance, coupled with another missing persons case in the same neighborhood earlier this year, also had Blietz looking over her shoulder.
Mariadelis Labrador Siles, 28, was found dead in March after walking away from her home. Her death was later ruled a suicide.
“You’re second-guessing everything you’re doing, you know? You’re taking out the garbage. You’re walking the dog,” Blietz said. “We’re always keeping our eyes open, trying to remember, did we see anything that might be a lead?”
A team of investigators searched for Mendoza Olmos’ body.
Salazar shared his suspicions about the body on social media Wednesday morning and later confirmed it was Mendoza Olmos.
“We do have answers, not the answers we wanted,” Blietz said, in response to what, at the time, was still speculation.
They’re also not the answers Mendoza Olmos’ family had hoped to receive.
Her father, Alfonso Mendoza, spoke to KSAT 12 News on Monday morning.
At that time, he was still full of hope that his daughter, whom he called a “beautiful person,” would return home safely.
“(She was) a caring person, lovable, you know? She was, for all her friends, awesome,” Mendoza previously said.
He said he last saw his daughter the day before her disappearance, and the visit ended with a hug and kiss.
“She was in a regular mood, you know, happy, smiling,” he said. “I couldn’t tell if her emotions were low or high.”
Mendoza said his daughter had plans for the future and was working toward earning a college degree.
An Alamo College District spokesperson confirmed that Mendoza Olmos was a student at Northwest Vista College, studying business.
In an email, Kristi Wyatt, vice chancellor of communications, marketing and brand experience, said the college community’s hearts are heavy.
She said the school has reached out to students to inform them about available support services and that additional services will be available on campus as they return to school next week.
Wyatt said there are no scheduled memorial services for Mendoza Olmos on campus at this time.
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