The physique of a girl lacking in the Dominican Republic since 2021 was found earlier this yr on a property that was owned by NFL veteran Michael Pennel Jr. on the time she disappeared, two Dominican sources near the investigation informed ESPN.
The sources, talking on the situation of anonymity, mentioned Pennel is taken into account a person of interest in the case.
An legal professional for Pennel mentioned the participant didn’t know the lady and was not in the nation on the time she disappeared. In a textual content message response to ESPN, Pennel labeled the story “fake news.”
Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche was 22 when she was declared lacking Sept. 13, 2021, after just lately transferring to the northern coastal vacationer city of Sosúa, the place Pennel had a house in a gated group. The nationwide legal professional basic’s workplace mentioned in a press release that she had not been heard from since Sept. 5 and that the seek for her coated your entire province of Puerto Plata.
Two sources near the investigation mentioned Pennel bought his property final yr, and the physique was found whereas a employee was digging a trench in January. Guzmán’s physique was solely just lately recognized after officers in contrast her DNA to a pattern from her son, who’s now 8.
Officials didn’t launch a trigger of death, however the legal professional basic’s workplace mentioned authorities are pursuing Guzmán’s case as a murder.
Responding to a textual content, Pennel mentioned, “This isn’t a story. I’m not legally involved. This is fake news being reported. I’d advise you to speak with my agent/lawyer … before writing a false story. Damaging my reputation.”
Pennel, 34, performed for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals final season and is a free agent.
His Dominican legal professional, Alexander Valbuena, mentioned Pennel requested his legal professionals “to offer his full cooperation to the Dominican authorities and help clarify the situation.”
Pennel informed ESPN on Saturday morning that he has not been contacted by Dominican authorities.
The legal professional basic’s workplace characterised the case, which was reopened after Guzmán was recognized, as being in an early stage. The workplace mentioned “foreigners” had been being interviewed in the investigation.
The Dominican sources didn’t say if there have been different individuals of interest.
“It is also important to clarify that we are already in communication with the authorities to clarify the situation, as Mr. [Pennel’s] primary concern and interest has been to get to the bottom of this since he learned of it,” Valbuena mentioned.
At the time of Guzmán’s disappearance, Pennel was between groups, having been launched Aug. 31, 2021, by the Chicago Bears. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 15, two days after Guzmán was declared lacking.
Guzmán’s grandmother, Paula González, informed ESPN that police by no means informed her who owned the property the place Guzmán’s stays had been discovered or whom they may suspect in her death. Asked why her granddaughter may need been on the property, González mentioned she had “no idea at all.”
“She was pretty, a student, very loving,” González mentioned. “Everyone loved her. She had lots of friends.”
Pennel has had a quantity of authorized and administrative points in the previous. NFL information say he was suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse coverage thrice, twice in 2016 and as soon as in 2020, He was sued in 2024 by the widow of NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins, accusing him of defrauding her out of $275,000 in a canine breeding enterprise he operated in the Dominican Republic.
Pennel additionally was just lately in a public spat with social media influencer and singer Jhonni Blaze, who accused him of bodily abusing her. Pennel denied the accusation and accused Blaze of attempting to extort cash from him. Neither one mentioned they reported their accusations to legislation enforcement.
Pennel’s Instagram account was deactivated Thursday after unsubstantiated accounts connecting him to Guzmán’s death started showing in the Dominican press and on social media.
ESPN’s Tod Robberson contributed to this report.