ESPN retracts story about Chiefs Super Bowl winner and death of a woman
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- ESPN removed its story about Mike Pennel and the 2021 death.
- ESPN said the story had errors and posted a statement in its place.
- Pennel’s lawyers submitted travel and financial records asserting he was not in the DR.
ESPN has removed a story on former Chiefs defensive lineman Mike Pennel and the death of a woman in the Dominican Republic.
The woman, who disappeared in 2021, has been identified as Carli Franchesca Guzmán Roche. The original ESPN story, which was published two weeks ago, said Pennel “had an ongoing relationship with a young woman whose body was found on a property he owned when she went missing.”
But ESPN now says the story had errors and as of Wednesday had taken it down. In place of the original piece, ESPN has a statement.
“Since the publication of the story, Pennel’s representatives have provided ESPN with documentation, including travel and financial records, supporting Pennel’s statements to ESPN that he was not in the Dominican Republic at the time the woman disappeared,” the network wrote.
Kaleo Legal released a statement on behalf of Pennel, who played for the Chiefs for five seasons (2019-25) and won a pair of Super Bowl rings with Kansas City’s NFL franchise.
“Mr. Pennel had nothing to do with the death or disappearance of Ms. Roche and was never a suspect or person of interest in that investigation. He did not know her,” attorney Brian Wainger wrote.
“Mr. Pennel’s personal records including his passport and other travel documents, banking records and photographs along with their geotracking locations confirm Mike was not in the Dominican Republic in September 2021 at the time of Ms. Roche’s disappearance, or in the weeks before or after it. Mike was in Denver, Colorado being treated for a sports injury at the time and was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on September 15, 2021.”
Wainger also refuted the assertion that Pennel had expected to be arrested.
“These past few weeks have been a nightmare for Mike,” Wainger said in a statement. “He is relieved to have all this behind him and is excited to resume his football career.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 12:02 PM.
