[22], On June30, 2020, Army investigators were called in when contractors discovered partial human remains along the Leon River in Belton. Police say they found traces of blood in the room as well as a toolkit that was missing a hammer. Vanessa Guillen Autopsy Results. The murder of Vanessa Guilln, a 20-year-old United States Army soldier, took place inside an armory at Fort Hood, Texas, on April22, 2020, when she was bludgeoned to death by another soldier, Aaron David Robinson. Aaron Robinson, right, are suspects in the April 22, 2020, killing and dismemberment of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, who was based at Fort Hood with Robinson. More than a dozen officials were disciplined in the wake of Vanessas disappearance, per the Times. Then they buried the bones and put cement over the bones so they could not be found.. They unleashed their rage because of how the case was handled within the army. Aaron Robinson and his girlfriend are suspected of burning and dismembering Guillen, 20, and encasing her body in concrete in multiple shallow graves next to the Leon River. The exact motive behind Guilln's death is unlikely to ever be known, considering her suspected killer, Robinson, died by suicide before police could arrest him. Robinson and Guillen, though co-workers, were located in different buildings; he was not in her line of command, Phelps said. (AP Photo/LM Otero). Haley Britzky 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. She decided to enlist in the Army at age 18, according to The New York Times. Aguilar told her he had not but said he did so after Guillen was dead, the court documents state. Both rooms are located in the basement of the barracks where Guillen lived. Robinson said he remained home the rest of the evening except for a brief trip to the base around 6:30 p.m. to use a government computer to sign up for some training. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. She was later found dead, having been allegedly killed by another soldier. The outlet also reported that she was an athlete in school, playing soccer and running track as well as cross country. Vanessas disappearance and death quickly inspired a call to action and legislation titled the "I Am Vanessa Guillen Act," which tried to address the response of the Department of Defense to sex-related offenses committed against members of the Armed Forces, including allowing a member to confidentially allege a complaint of sexual harassment to an individual outside the immediate chain of command of that member, per the act. Carrie Ricci, an associate general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture who also served on the panel, said interviews revealed that victims experienced "reluctance, and that feeling that we won't be believed.". Her remains were found burned and hacked into pieces on June 30, 2020, along the Leon River near Belton, where Robinson and his girlfriend, Cecily Anne Aguilar, had encased them in concrete and buried them. Robinson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when approached by law enforcement on July 1, 2020, according to police in Killeen, Texas. "What many of the soldiers needed was to be believed, and I just want to say to them, 'We believed you,'" Ricci said. 5- Where can the Photos of Vanessa Guillen be found? "I have determined the issues at Fort Hood are directly related to leadership failures," McCarthy said in announcing the firings at a Pentagon press conference. Did you encounter any technical issues? Court documents filed on May 19 by Texas officials revealed a potential motive in the 2020 murder ofArmy Spc. I don't want to hear another woman or man was sexually assaulted, abused or raped," Vanessa's sister Lupe Guillen said, per ABC13. Editors note: This story contains graphic details of a violent crime. Army Spc. Their investigation concluded with nine findings and 70 recommendations, which were presented to Army leadership on November 9. Texas Rangers also arrested a civilian suspect in connection with Guillens disappearance, according to CID. Ultimately, Aguilar sought to have her confession thrown out, arguing she did not see a judge in a timely fashion when first charged, ABC13 News in Houston reported in May. Vanessa should be here today, defending her loved ones and her country.. After knowing the reason behind the horrible death of Vanessa and the fact that Previously, soldiers whose whereabout were unknown were immediately listed as AWOL. [5][23] The area had previously been searched by Texas Rangers, detectives, and cadaver dogs on June20 after a burn mound was discovered nearby. The report from Gen. John Mike Murray, the head of Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas, comes almost As officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, the suspect displayed a weapon and discharged it toward himself. FORT HOOD, Texas The Fort Hood soldier who murdered and dismembered Pfc. Her trial will begin on January 23, 2023, and she faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Aguilar iscurrently chargedon 11 different counts: one count of conspiracy to tamper with documents or proceedings; two counts of tampering with documents or proceedings; three counts of accessory after the fact; one count of destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation; and four counts of false statement or representation. Her dismembered remains were found months later near the Leon River in Bell County, roughly 20 miles east of Fort Hood. Vanessa should be here today, defending her loved ones and her country.". People from the. What did Vanessa Guillens family do after knowing her Autopsy report? 1-How impactful was the documentary on Vanessa Guillen came out? The term is used to describe what happened to Vanessa, and a lot of people have questions about what that actually means. When I first went up to that base, that subject, I met him, not knowing that he had something to do with it. [5] Tim Miller, Director of Texas EquuSearch, stated that it was the most sophisticated burial site he had ever seen. [Robinson] told her he was worried about getting in trouble for violating the Armys fraternization rules since Aguilar was still married to another soldier and he hit Guillen in the head with a hammer.. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Prosecutors said Vanessa Guillen was bludgeoned to death with a hammer by Robinson in the armory of the Killeen, Texas, military base, on April 22, 2020, according to the criminal complaint. [14] Multiple Fort Hood units, including 3CR, began searching the area within two weeks of her disappearance. I asked Aguilar to start the story over and tell the truth this time. But in the wake of Aguiler's arrest, new information surrounding the circumstances of Guilln's death has come to light. Copyright 2022 Rationalinsurgent All Right Reserved. Disciplinary measures were also taken against soldiers and leaders assigned below brigade level, however the Army does not, as a matter of policy, "release the names of the battalion level and below commanders and leaders who received administrative action. Robinson killed Guillen with a hammer in an armory on post in April 2020. Haley Britzky joined Task & Purpose as the Army reporter in January 2019. Surge Safemoon Mark (August) Prediction & How To Buy? Robinson, 20, killed himself on Wednesday after police confronted him in Killeen, according to US Army Criminal Investigation Command, which calls itself CID. Aaron Robinson and his girlfriend are suspected of burning and dismembering Guillen, 20, and encasing her body in concrete in multiple shallow graves next to the Leon River. [3][4][5], Cecily Aguilar, a local woman identified by authorities as Robinson's girlfriend, was taken into custody and is alleged to have assisted him in dismembering and burying Guilln's body. Published Apr 30, 2021 4:08 PM. And she added that Robinson hit Guillen in the head with a hammer. [48], On January26, 2022, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order that established sexual harassment as a specific offense under the UCMJ. [9] In early June, Guilln's mother told reporters she did not trust the Army's handling of the investigation and her attorney, Natalie Khawam,[17] said she believed the family was "being kept in the dark"[16] because few details had been released regarding the disappearance. "My sister was a very responsible person, that would not meddle into Robinson's and Aguilar's alleged 'relationship.' Aguilar told police Robinson "would go into moods in which he would not be his normal self and have a 'tic. Swecker said victims were afraid to come forward and didn't trust Fort Hood's process for investigating sexual assault and harassment claims. November 22, 2022 by Jacob Emmanuel. Officials arrested Aaron Robinson, an army specialist, and his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, for the murder of Vanessa Guillen. [13] The case was investigated under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with local law enforcement agencies in Bell County, Killeen, and Belton; the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; the United States Marshals Service; and the Texas Ranger Division in support. McCarthy said Guilln's murder "shocked our conscience and brought attention to deeper problems" at Fort Hood and across the Army more widely. Under the cover of darkness, Robinson took Aguilar to the Leon River, where he showed her Guillens body in a massive black tote bag. Robinson was also the last person Vanessa texted before her April 22 disappearance. I then pointed out the smell in the room, that [U.S. Marshall task force officer John Ray] and myself were saturated in, and explained it was that of human remains, Texas Ranger Travis Dendy wrote in the report. Her family initially noted that Vanessa seemed concerned soon after being stationed at Fort Hood in Texas, saying that things arent always as they seem. She started losing weight and, her mother noted that Vanessa informed her that she was being harassed by a superior.. [21] On July 27, 2020, Guilln's mother, who had previously been detained for illegal immigration, was granted parole in place by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the assistance of Garcia and immigration attorney Luis Gomez Alfaro. There is no credibility to Cecily Aguilars words, and its a shame that theres an opportunity for this criminal to defend herself after what she did to my sisters body, Guillen told the news station. Please enter valid email address to continue. A- Venessa was 20 years old when Aaron Robinson killed her. He said it "forced us to take a critical look at our systems, our policies, and ourselves. I am Vanessa Guillen also follows the incredible efforts of her sisters Lupe and Mayra and lawyer Natalie Khawam to seek justice for Guilln and sexual assault victims in the military in the wake of Guilln's death. The main suspect in disappearance was identified by officials on Thursday as Spc. A- People are using #IAmVenesaGuillen all over Twitter and supporting Venessas family in every way possible, A- According to Reddit this Act will revamp charges and military investigation against assaults. Aaron Robinson killed himself with a gun just before the few days when charges against him were made public. Court documents said that Robinson told Aguilar that he took Vanessas body off of Fort Hood to a remote site in Bell County, Texas. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. While Guillen said her sisters loved ones are eagerly awaiting a trial so the public will know the truth about what happened to her sister, whose disappearance in April 2020 was shrouded in mystery. Aguilar was reported to be the girlfriend of Aaron David Robinson, a specialist ranked enlisted soldier who was one of the last known people to see Guilln on the day of her disappearance and who had previously been interviewed by investigators. Vanessa Guillen. We truly hope Vanessa receives justice. Gutting IRS Will Help Wealthy Avoid More Taxes | Opinion, Eliminating Income Tax Means More Money for Americans | Opinion. 11:31 AM EDT, Fri July 3, 2020. In the pursuit, they met Donald Trump. 2. Guillen stated she did not arrive with the papers.. [5], Later that evening, at around 8:30p.m., authorities re-interviewed Cecily Anne Aguilar, a local woman who was the estranged wife of a soldier at Fort Hood. I am Vanessa Guillen also follows the incredible efforts of her sisters Lupe and Mayra and lawyer Natalie Khawam to seek justice for Guilln and sexual assault victims in the military in the wake of Guilln's death. Destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation, United States Attorney's Office Western District of Texas, "Grand jury indicts Cecily Aguilar on 11 counts in Vanessa Guillen murder trial", "Vanessa Guillen bludgeoned to death by fellow soldier, attorney says; suspect ID'd as Calumet City man", "Civilian charged in plot to dismember and hide remains of murdered Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen", "Pfc. I went to McDonalds drive-thru for lunch but left with bags of cash instead, Biden, Harris photo-op with Warriors team takes awkward turn: 'I'm not doing that', Prince Harry roasted at Critics Choice Awards 2023, Pamela Anderson: Tommy Lee divorce crushed me during lowest point of life, Madonna covers Vanity Fair Icon Issue amid 2023 tour announcement, Russell Simmons shows off weird AF dance moves at yoga studio in Bali, Nick Sirianni's update on the status of Eagles' star QB Jalen Hurts, The Fabelmans Flops on Jeopardy After All 3 Contestants Fail to Name Spielbergs Film, Wife of 'Boy Meets World' star William Daniels details 'painful' 'open marriage'. Vanessas tragic death sparked a movement and reforms that otherwise would have been swept under the rug. Vanessa Guillen told her family she was being sexually harassed. [14], On May 24, 2022 the Texas Department of Public Safety released a report stating that "Aguilar later explained why Robinson killed Guillen, saying Guillen saw Robinson's cellphone lock screen, which contained a picture of Aguilar. On 14 July 2020, his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar pleaded to the Grand Jury not guilty, and her trial has been scheduled for the beginning of January 2023. McCarthy said he is creating a "People First Task Force" that will be responsible for making plans to implement the committee's recommendations, beginning in March. "The passion that she had for sports and the passion she had for us as a family is the same passion that I would like to share with the world because no one deserves to die the way she did," Lupe added. Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, was arrested and indicted by a grand jury under charges related to tampering with documents and Vanessa's body at the district court in Waco, Texas. Vanessa Guillen, 20, vanished April 22, 2020, from Fort Hood, where she was stationed and worked as a small arms and artillery repairer. McCarthy named five civilians to be part of the review of the command climate and culture at the base and in the surrounding military community around Fort Hood. Theres no reason why a young beautiful girl who joined the Army, to honorably serve our country, should be in a shallow grave near on our own turf., If this could happen to Vanessa, this can happen to any one of our sisters, daughters and mothers. [2], Aguilar was arrested by Texas Rangers and held at the Bell County Jail. [26][3] Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff are prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government. He told her he was worried about getting in trouble for violating the Armys fraternization rules since Aguilar was still married to another soldier, and he hit Guillen in the head with a hammer.. Guilln died in 2020 after going missing from Fort Hood in Texas. Thoreum Crypto (Jan 2022) Price, Chart & How To Buy? "Cecily Aguilar will try everything in her power to walk freely as we are being denied the truth at this very moment," Mayra said at the time. [18] On June13, 2020, hundreds of people assembled at the gates of Fort Hood to protest what organizers felt was a lack of information on the case. Check Reddit & Twitter Trending Photos Update! Senior members of CID Command met with Guillens family on Wednesday, Phelps said. "The findings of the committee identified major flaws with the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Prevention Program from implementation, reporting, and adjudication; fundamental issues with the Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Command field office activities that led to unaddressed problems on Fort Hood; and finally, a command climate at Fort Hood that was permissive of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault," McCarthy said, adding later that he has "decided to accept all these findings in whole. "[27], A mural in honor of Guilln was created in her hometown of Houston by a local artist. During Wednesdays news conference, Guillens sister Mayra said she had met the soldier suspected in the disappearance of her sister. Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk, Vanessa Guillen Murder: What you need to know. Natalie also played a role in helping the family push for the 'I Am Vanessa Guillen Act,' parts of which went into effect in early 2022. We feel pain, frustration and devastation. "Aguilar later explained [during her confession in 2021] why Robinson killed Guilln saying Guilln saw Robinson's cellphone lock screen, which contained a picture of Aguilar," the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a report on May 24, 2022. According to investigators, Aguilar claimed Robinson would go into moods in which he would not be his normal self and have a tic., Aguilar later explained why Robison killed Guillen, saying Guillen saw Robinsons cellphone lock screen, which contained a picture of Aguilar, the document states. To do any less breaks trust with our people and the American public.. Aguilar also allegedly confessed to removing Guillen's body from the government-owned tote Robinson had put her in because "Robinson didn't want to.". Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Specialist soldier Vanessa Guillen, 20, was killed and dismembered in 2020 6 Police say fellow soldier Aaron Robinson killed Guillen with a hammer after she saw a picture of a married woman on his phone 6 Guillen's remains were found months after their disappearance near the Leon River in Bell County, roughly 20 miles east of Fort Hood 6 Aguilar, who was dating Robinson despite being married to soldier Keon Aguilar, has been charged with helping Robinson dismember and dispose of Guillen's body. The new policy allows commanders to classify missing soldiers for up to two days as "absent-unknown" while trying to determine if the soldier left their post voluntarily. Cecily Aguilar will try everything in her power to walk freely as we are being denied the truth at this very moment, Guillens sister Mayra toldABC13 News. [24][25] In the early hours of July1, Killeen police located and attempted to make contact with Robinson, who produced a handgun and killed himself before he could be taken into custody. Women's Health may earn commission from the links on this page, but we only feature products we believe in. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. He said it "forced us to take a critical look at our systems, our policies, and ourselves.". Vanessa Guillen was only 20 years old at the time of her disappearance and death, and her family has fought hard to learn what happened to herand make sure that it doesn't happen to anyone else. She was last seen around 1:00p.m. on April22, 2020, in the parking lot of her unit, the Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment (3CR). According to Robinsons girlfriend, Robinson then sexually assaulted Guillens lifeless body. [20] The authorities said that more than 300 interviews and over 10,000 hours were spent investigating Guilln's disappearance.