In a chilling and tragic incident captured by home surveillance, investigators are now poring over haunting final words spoken by 18-year-old Martin Mendoza, the alleged killer of 17-year-old Marissa DiNapoli—moments before carrying out a brutal slaying.
In early June 2025, the disappearance of Marissa prompted a frantic search. Soon after her family reported her missing, police reviewed home security footage from the residence of her ex-boyfriend, Mendoza. What they uncovered was bone-chilling: Mendoza is seen filming Marissa—calmly stating, “This is it, Marissa”—just seconds before the camera cuts out. Within minutes, violent sounds are heard, and the footage abruptly ends.
May 31, 2025: Marissa is reportedly last seen outside Mendoza’s home in Southern California.
June 2: Family reports her missing.
Police obtain and analyze surveillance footage from Mendoza’s property and the surrounding area. Law enforcement locates Marissa’s body just yards away, partially covered by foliage, with signs consistent with a violent assault .
Mendoza, who allegedly resisted questioning, was later arrested by authorities at the U.S.–Mexico border after attempting to flee the country.
According to California Sergeant Kyle Shoberg, part of the investigative task force, the security camera’s audio provides crucial insight. “The suspect’s words—calm, clear, recorded—are deeply disturbing,” he told Law & Crime in a recent podcast discussing the case. Investigators are treating Mendoza’s recorded phrase—“This is it”—as possible admission of intent and planning. Coupled with forensic evidence from the crime scene and his attempted escape, police assert the case against him is compelling.
News of the arrest and the haunting camera footage has devastated Marissa’s tight-knit community. Local vigil gatherings have been organized, and an online petition demanding stern sentencing for Mendoza has garnered widespread support.
Marissa, described by friends as an “artistic, bright, and kind young woman,” leaves behind grieving parents who have implored the public to “let the truth be heard” in court.
This case underscores how home cameras and doorbell footage are reshaping criminal investigations. Once considered a convenience, these devices increasingly serve as silent witnesses, providing real-time documentation of crimes unfolding.
Criminologists say this technology is transforming legal accountability, giving juries direct access to “what actually happened” rather than relying solely on testimony.
The phrase “This is it, Marissa”, uttered calmly and captured on camera, now echoes as a haunting testament to a crime allegedly committed with premeditated intent. The convergence of digital surveillance, evidence-based policing, and legal scrutiny may soon bring justice—not only for Marissa, but as a powerful warning that in today’s world, what happens on camera may never remain hidden.
