Key keywords: Mike Pennel, former NFL veteran, deceased woman homicide, romantic relationship allegation, suspect alibi denial, Green Bay criminal investigation, missing person case resolution Local law enforcement officials in Green Bay, Wisconsin, have released new details in an ongoing homicide investigation that links former NFL defensive tackle Mike Pennel to a 32-year-old woman whose body was discovered in a remote wooded area outside the city on October 12. The victim, who had been reported missing by her family three days prior to the discovery, was identified through dental records, with an autopsy confirming her death was a homicide resulting from blunt force trauma. Investigators say a deep dive into the victim’s cell phone records, social media activity, and surveillance footage from locations she frequented in the weeks before her disappearance uncovered consistent contact between her and Pennel, spanning a six-month period. Records show the pair exchanged more than 200 text messages, many of which contained romantic undertones, and were captured on security footage together at local restaurants, grocery stores, and a downtown gym on at least eight separate occasions. Mutual acquaintances of the two have also confirmed to police that they saw the pair attending private gatherings together, with many under the impression they were in a committed romantic relationship. On Tuesday, Pennel’s legal team issued a formal statement responding to the investigation, in which the 32-year-old former NFL veteran, who played for teams including the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs during his 9-year professional career, denied ever meeting or communicating with the victim. “Mr. Pennel has no knowledge of who this woman is, nor has he had any personal or professional contact with her at any point in his life,” the statement read. “He intends to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation to clear his name of any connection to this terrible crime.” Police have confirmed that Pennel has been invited to submit to a formal interview with detectives, and has agreed to provide DNA samples to compare with trace biological evidence recovered from the victim’s body and the site where her remains were found. Investigators also noted that a vehicle matching the description of Pennel’s custom black Ford F-150 was spotted on surveillance footage near the wooded discovery site roughly two hours before the victim’s last known cell phone ping. As of press time, Pennel has not been named an official suspect in the case, but law enforcement officials note he is a person of interest, and ask anyone with additional information about the victim’s final days or contact with Pennel to reach out to the Green Bay Police Department’s tip line immediately.