Mike Pennel Jr., the former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion, is at the center of a homicide investigation in the Dominican Republic. A new ESPN report reveals that witnesses told police in 2021 he had an ongoing relationship with a woman whose body was later found on land he owned. The report directly contradicts Pennel's repeated denials, and even his own attorney now says he expects Pennel to be charged.
The Victim and the Discovery
The woman has been identified as Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche, 22, who was reported missing by her family on September 11, 2021, after moving to Sosúa in the Dominican Republic. Her remains were not discovered until January 2026, when a new owner doing excavation work on the property—which Pennel owned at the time and has since sold—came across them. Her grandmother, Paula González, told ESPN that her granddaughter regularly referred to Pennel as "the football player" and that she had seen the two of them on video calls together. Shown a photo of Pennel, she said there was "no doubt" he was the man her granddaughter was seeing.
Conflicting Statements
Records reviewed by ESPN show that people told police as early as 2021 that Pennel's connection to Guzmán was worth investigating. Investigators visited his property with her family days after she vanished, where a strong smell of decay was reportedly noticed but written off as a dead animal. Police apparently never circled back to question Pennel himself. Adding to the confusion, Pennel now claims it was actually his friend who had a relationship with Guzmán, not him, even though that same friend told police back in 2021 that he had seen Pennel and Guzmán leave the airport together in a taxi.
Current Status of the Case
Pennel has been firm in denying any wrongdoing, telling ESPN, "I don't know this woman. I wasn't in the country" when she disappeared. But his Dominican attorney, Ariel Durán, told ESPN something striking: he expects Pennel to actually be charged in the case simply because the body was found on his property, and said he may not continue representing Pennel if that happens due to an unrelated dispute. As of now, a Dominican court document confirms no criminal charges have been filed. Dominican officials reopened the case after identifying Guzmán's remains and are investigating it as a homicide, with Pennel named a person of interest, though the cause of death has not been released. Pennel, now a free agent, says he has shared the no-charges document with the NFL.
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About the Author: Amisha Pandey has been covering the NFL since 2024, with her eyes always locked on the latest buzz—from dating rumors to Instagram posts. With a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a flair for storytelling, she mixes quirky words with an easy, consumable style that keeps readers hooked. Beyond football, Amisha dives into pop culture, viral trends, and celebrity drama, while her personal passions include music, rap, movies, and content creation. Whether it is breaking down an NFL controversy or vibing to the latest track, she brings the same energy and curiosity to everything she does.
