ESPN's efforts to do some substantial digging into a story involving free agent defensive lineman Mike Pennel went so horribly wrong that the Worldwide Leader in Sports is doing something they rarely do: Retract and apologize.
Several weeks ago ESPN published a story about Pennel and the investigation into the disappearance and death of a woman in the Dominican Republic back in 2021. However, ESPN has since received numerous pieces of evidence showing that he could not have had anything to do with the matter.
Today, ESPN announced that that the story has been removed.
"On June 18, 2026, ESPN published a story about Michael Pennel Jr. and an investigation into the death of a woman in the Dominican Republic who disappeared on September 5, 2021. ESPN has determined the story contained errors and has removed it. 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..."
Pennel's Reps Speak
Brian Wainger, Esq. of Kaleo Legal released a statement on behalf of Pennel vehemently refuting the story.
"On June 18, 2026, ESPN published a story about Michael Pennel, Jr. and an investigation into the death of a woman in the Dominican Republic who disappeared on September 5, 2021. The story was cited by numerous other websites and print journals. Michael Pennel, Jr. retained Kaleo Legal after these news stories were published. Kaleo Legal is issuing this Statement on behalf of Mr. Pennel and it is not intended to speak for ESPN," the statement began.
"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.
"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.
"Mr. Pennel’s Dominican attorney, Cesar A. Duran, never told anyone he expected Mr. Pennel to be arrested.
"Mr. Pennel owned but never lived in the property where the remains of Ms. Roche were found. Mr. Pennel’s video surveillance system captured several people unlawfully trespassing on the property the night Ms. Roche disappeared. Mr. Pennel saved the video surveillance and shared it with the Dominican authorities who did not know it existed."
© Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images.
Pennel is a 12-year NFL veteran who has played for seven different teams and won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Had ESPN not pulled that story, Pennel likely would have sued the pants off of them. There's a chance he still can.
