Former New England Patriots defensive tackle Mike Pennel has been linked to a homicide investigation in the Dominican Republic, and ESPN is reporting that the longtime NFL veteran has been deemed a "person of interest."
The body of a woman, 22-year-old Carli Franchesca Guzmn Roche, was found earlier this year after she had been missing since 2021. The body was found on a property that Pennel owned at the time of the disappearance in the town of Sosa. ESPN says that Pennel had sold the property in 2025, and the body was discovered after a worker was digging a trench in January.
Officials identified Guzmn after the DNA of the body matched that of her eight-year-old son. While a cause of death hasn't been released, the attorney general's office told ESPN that it is being investihated as a homicide.
Pennel, in a text message to ESPN, dismissing the story as nothing more than "fake news."
"This isn't a story," Pennel wrote. "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."
The defensive lineman joined the NFL as an undrafted free agent back in 2014, and spent the summer of 2019 with the Patriots . He signed a two-year contract in free agency with New England that March, but was released ahead of cutdown day.
Oct 27, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) runs the ball and is tackled by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Mike Pennell (64) during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
According to Pennel's attorney Alexander Valbuena, Pennel asked his legal team "to offer his full cooperation to the Dominican authorities and help clarify the situation." As of Saturday morning, Pennel had not been contacted by Dominican authorities.
"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 continued.
Pennel has had legal issues in the past, including NFL suspensions for violating the league's substance abuse policy three times (twice in 2016, and once in 2020). He was also sued by the widow of Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Hawkins back in 2024, accused of defrauding her out of $275,000 as park of a dog breeding business he owned in the D.R.
At the time of Guzmn's disappearance, Pennel wasn't on an NFL roster. Two days after the woman was declared missing, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons . He's also had stints with the Green Bay Packers , New York Jets , Kansas City Chiefs , Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals . Pennel is currently a free agent.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Former NFL DT Mike Pennel Named Person Of Interest In Possible Murder Case .
