Houston, Texas - A troubling investigation involving a former NFL player has taken a significant turn.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have identified Mike Pennel, a former defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, as a person of interest in an ongoing homicide investigation connected to a woman who disappeared nearly five years ago.
The development comes months after human remains were discovered on property previously owned by Pennel.
According to reports, the remains of Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche, 22, were found in January 2026 during excavation work on land that Pennel owned until 2025.
Guzmán Roche was originally reported missing in September 2021, and her family searched for answers for more than four years.
The case remained unresolved until construction workers uncovered human remains while conducting excavation work.
Dominican authorities are now officially treating the case as a homicide investigation.
At this time, however, the cause of death has not been publicly released.
Investigative records indicate that shortly after Guzmán Roche disappeared, several individuals informed police that Pennel may have had connections to her.
Despite those reports, there is no indication that Pennel was formally interviewed during the early stages of the investigation.
Law enforcement officers visited the area near Pennel’s property with members of the victim’s family only days after she was reported missing.
According to family members, a strong odor of decomposition was present at the location.
However, officers at the time believed the smell likely came from a dead animal and did not expand the search into that area.
Questions surrounding the case intensified following statements from the victim’s grandmother.
According to her account, Guzmán Roche told family members she was spending time with an athlete shortly before her disappearance.
During a phone call on September 5, 2021, she reportedly said she was still with Pennel.
Shortly after that, her family lost all contact with her.
Pennel has strongly denied any connection to the case.
Speaking to reporters, he stated, “I don’t know this woman.”
The former defensive tackle also suggested that another individual may have had a relationship with Guzmán Roche.
According to prior police records, that individual told investigators in 2021 that he and Pennel had a falling out months earlier over a dispute involving a woman.
At this time, Pennel has not been charged with any crime.
Authorities have not formally accused him of homicide.
However, he remains a person of interest as the investigation continues.
The discovery of Guzmán Roche’s remains has renewed attention on a case that remained unresolved for years.
As investigators continue gathering evidence and reviewing witness statements, many key questions remain unanswered.
For now, Dominican authorities continue pursuing the case to determine exactly what happened to Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche.
