Sheriff says identification is pending after remains and a firearm were found near the 19-year-old’s home.
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Family and friends gathered Wednesday near a northwest Bexar County landscaping company to grieve after investigators found a body during the search for 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos, who vanished on Christmas Eve. The remains were discovered late Tuesday in tall grass a few hundred yards from her home, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities say the discovery marks a pivotal turn in a case that drew hundreds of volunteers and multiple agencies, including the FBI. Sheriff Javier Salazar said identification and cause of death will come from the Bexar County Medical Examiner, and deputies are preserving the scene as a potential homicide while emphasizing it is too early to make conclusions. A firearm was recovered near the body, and clothing seen at the scene matched what Olmos was believed to be wearing when she disappeared. With the find, formal search operations wound down as relatives, neighbors and classmates began leaving flowers and messages at the edge of the business where investigators worked behind crime-scene tape.
Deputies and FBI agents returned to the area around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday for a renewed sweep and found the body about 10 minutes into the search, according to the sheriff. The spot sits near the Burnin’ Bush landscaping company, within sight of residential streets in the Wildhorse area. Salazar said the field had been checked earlier in the week but heavy brush and tall grass likely obscured what was there. He added that investigators had also been looking for a family firearm reported missing. “It is still too early to say definitively,” Salazar said Tuesday evening, noting that he strongly believes the remains are Olmos but that confirmation must come from the medical examiner.
Officials said the clothing on the body appeared consistent with an outfit listed in early alerts about Olmos, who was last seen near her family’s home just before 7 a.m. Dec. 24. Investigators cited security video showing her outside the house shortly before she vanished, and a dashcam clip believed to show her walking on Wildhorse Parkway that morning. Olmos left her phone behind, relatives said, but may have had keys and identification. The Sheriff’s Office said there were no immediate signs of a struggle at the scene where the remains were found. The cause and manner of death remain unknown. The firearm’s connection to the family’s missing weapon has not been confirmed.
Community members had searched greenbelts, drainage easements and commercial lots over several days, guided by Texas EquuSearch and local deputies. The FBI joined the effort early this week as tips and video submissions arrived from residents. Volunteers set up sign-in tables, handed out flyers and combed vacant parcels off FM 1560 and Bent Cyn. Businesses and homeowners in the area reviewed cameras, according to relatives, who described Olmos as a caring student who hoped to work in health care. Burnin’ Bush closed temporarily Wednesday “out of respect,” the company said in a statement, and said it would welcome people to pay respects on the property once investigators finish processing the scene.
Relatives described a week of uncertainty that began with routine holiday plans and turned into a massive search. Olmos’ father, Alfonso Mendoza, had made daily pleas for help and at one point questioned whether a widely shared dashcam image depicted his daughter. Friends said Olmos had struggled with recent personal setbacks, and the sheriff noted investigators are considering all possibilities as they await lab testing and the autopsy report. Texas EquuSearch leaders said volunteers responded from across the region, bringing drones, horses and off-road vehicles as grids expanded around the Wildhorse neighborhood and nearby shopping centers.
The case now shifts to the medical examiner’s office, which will determine identity and cause of death. If the remains are confirmed as Olmos, deputies will compile a timeline for the minutes and hours after she was last seen, compare ballistic evidence to any missing weapon reports and continue interviewing relatives, friends and nearby residents. The CLEAR Alert that once asked drivers to watch for Olmos has been canceled, officials said, but the Sheriff’s Office will continue evaluating digital evidence and awaiting forensic results. No court hearings are currently scheduled, and a news briefing is expected after the autopsy is complete.
On Wednesday morning, a small crowd stood quietly near the yellow tape as investigators walked the field. A few people brought candles and fresh-cut flowers, while others offered prayers in Spanish and English. “She is loved,” said neighbor Marisol R., who joined earlier searches and returned with her teenage daughter to place a bouquet by a utility pole. “We wanted to be here for the family.” By midday, the business remained shut and patrol units blocked the driveway as detectives documented tire tracks and tagged items in the grass. Friends hugged near the curb and shared memories of a classmate they described as humble and quick to help.
As of Wednesday afternoon, investigators were waiting for the medical examiner’s findings and had not released an official identification. Deputies said any further updates would follow the autopsy and next-of-kin notifications. A briefing is anticipated later this week once preliminary results are in.
Author note: Last updated December 31, 2025.