Army investigators told the family they were doing everything they could to search for Guillen on and off the post in the weeks after her disappearance, but they provided no details or updates, the family said. A criminal complaint filed against Aguilar accuses her of tampering with evidence, including Guillens body, on April 23 and 26 to impair its integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding., Though the family believes Robinson killed Guillenand the allegations that Aguilar helped bury her remains, Khawam said, the story of how Robinson killed Guillen, moved her body and cleaned up the crime scene all while on a military post without an accomplice or being found out sooner does not make sense.. That's [what] we want to have that answered as well. She was reported missing in April but her remains were not found until July. They Refused to Fight for Russia. Vanessa Guillen bludgeoned to death by fellow soldier, attorney Guillen's Army friends weren't the only ones worried about her disappearance. On June 30, contractors working on a fence near the Leon River alerted Army CID that they had discovered what appeared to be human remains. "I asked, 'Have you seen Guillen?' U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will introduce legislation on the House floor next week. He was originally from Calumet City, Illinois. I see her murals and I say to myself, 'Damn, this is reality. Special Agent Damon Phelps with the U.S. army Criminal Investigation Command on Thursday said a second suspect also was arrested this week. KILLEEN, TEXASU.S. Mayra Guillen said last week that much of what the family learned about her younger sisters disappearance was through media reports and news conferences. Trump said he would help her family with funeral expenses and directed the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate what happened to Guillen. Company, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the time Guillen, a fellow 3rd Cavalry soldier, disappeared April 22. Aaron David Robinson of Illinois, who was assigned to a building adjacent to where Guillen worked, first ran away from Fort Hood on Tuesday night after officials said they found partial human remains near the Leon River in Bell County. Aguilars phone was also tracked and revealed she was near the Leon River with Robinson on April 23 and 26. Memorial honors slain Fort Hood soldier as family seeks Several media outlets on Thursday, however, identified the woman as Cecily Anne Aguilar, a 22-year-old Killeen resident. Aaron David Robinson, 20, died by suicide Wednesday morning as investigators were closing in. Then they dismembered this beautiful U.S. soldiers body with a machete. The Armys account of how Guillen died remains riddled with holes that investigators refuse to clarify, said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. The remains of Spc. "They just told me, 'We did find the partial human remains.' Last year, Army Maj. Gen. Donna Martin told "20/20" that investigators had found that Guillen had reported to her work station in the motor pool that morning. Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, faces one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence in the April 22 disappearance of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen, federal prosecutors in Texas' western district said in a statement. It said it was gonna rain.". Khawam said the family revealed those allegations to investigators late last month. U.S. Army officials at Fort Hood today said that there is no evidence that a male soldier who killed himself this week to avoid police capture sexually assaulted 20-year-old Spc. A review of the call logs showed Robinson contacted Aguilar multiple times on the night Guillen disappeared. Aaron David Robinson of Illinois, who was assigned to a building adjacent to where Guillen worked, first ran away from Fort Hood on Tuesday night after officials said Those claims even sparked a viral hashtag called #IamVanessaGuillen on social media, which many soldiers have used to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault on military installations. The family was aware of the sexual harassment that Vanessa faced at Fort Hood. However subsequent interviews have failed to [confirm] this allegation," Phelps said. Khawam said she was told a third suspect was detained. ", "On my way there, I was just crying because I couldn't understand it," Mayra Guillen said. / CBS Chicago. Fort Hood soldier slain, dismembered on post, family attorney says A guard gave chase but Robinson was able to get into a car and leave the base. Bell County Jail records online show Aguilar was charged Wednesday with tampering or fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair a human corpse, a second degree felony. The last time she texted me was that morning, and she just sent a screenshot with the weather. Gen. Gene LeBoeuf told "20/20" in an exclusive interview that there were several factors that threw off the investigation in its early stages. ", "We were in my car at the time," Landy said, "and we went to the track that she usually would be at, just in case she didn't really wanna talk to anybody and wanted to get stuff off her mind. Robinsons cell phone then tracked along the Leon River in a northward direction, and remained in the area for roughly two hours. Contractors discovered the remains near the Leon River on June 30, 2020, authorities said. At around 10 p.m., he was heard talking on the phone, apparently to his mother, saying "don't believe what you hear about me." And he was around us, too. "While law enforcement agencies attempted to make contact with the suspect in Killeen, Texas, Specialist Robinson reportedly displayed a weapon and took his own life," said Phelps. Guillen, a 20-year-old Houston native who received her rank of specialist on Wednesday, was last seen between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on April 22 in the parking lot of the Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters where she worked at Fort Hood, officials said. Army investigators provided the family with time stamps of when Robinson checked in and out of the armory roomApril 22, the day Guillen was last seen, and when Guillen texted Robinson to let him know she was outside and needed to be let into the building. More:Civilian searcher says Army overlooked evidence after Vanessa Guillen's death. After two days, the Army officially marked Vanessa Guillen as AWOL, or absent without official leave. Army investigators believe Guillen, a Texas soldier missing since April, was killed by another soldier on the Texas base where they served, the attorney for the missing soldier's family said Thursday. Cecily Aguilar, 22, was charged in connection to the disappearance of Spc. Daryl Fields, spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office,said he could not provide answers to the list of questions: Thank you for your latest inquiry, but our office is not commenting on this investigation beyond the information provided in the federal criminal complaint., She didnt have to go to war to die, she had to die here at the hands of those wretches, Gloria Guillen said. Guillen's family says she had dreamed of serving her country in the military since she was a child. Immediately, Vanessas dad said, Thats not something Vanessa would do, Khawam said. Phelps said that because she is a civilian and is in the custody of local authorities the Army will not release any further information regarding her status. "It's so important because it will bring the help my sister never obtained, it will bring the voice my sister never had.". "But, I guess, apparently I'm kind of funny sometimes, and she'd crack up all the time. During a news conference, Army Criminal Investigation Command Special Agent Damon Phelps named the now-deceased soldier as Spc. Nothing. Vanessa Guillen of Fort Hood was going to be a bride. Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, III Corps deputy commanding general, announced during the press conference that the Inspector General's Office will examine the implementation of Fort Hood's sexual harassment and prevention program, assess whether the "command climate" is supportive of soldiers reporting sexual assault or harassment and "identify any potential systemic issues. Juan Cruz and Vanessa Guillen's family are still looking for answers as to why the late Army specialist was killed in 2020 and how her murderer escaped justice. Republication or distribution of this content is They called local sheriffs out to the area; the Texas Rangers and Fort Hood CID soon followed. Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old Army Specialist, was identified as the person of interest in the case of Vanessa Guilln, also a 20-year-old Fort Hood soldier who disappeared in April. Phelps on Thursday said, as reported previously, that Guillens identification card, wallet and the keys to her car and post apartment were later found in the armoury room where she had been earlier in the day. Robinson sexually harassed Spc. Vanessa Guillen bludgeoned to death on Fort Hood base, family Cowboys Miss On Kicker; Sign Gould? Jerry Reveals Plan She said Army investigators rarely contacted the family before releasing information. But like I said, the night before, he had told us that he didn't say anything to her at all," Landy said. Location data from Robinsons phone showed that at nearly 2 a.m. on April 23, the device was in the vicinity of a bridge along the Leon River. EMBED <> More Videos He said 11 have been removed from their positions permanently, and all 21 have "black marks" on their records "that will stay with them." Robinson walked Aguilar over to the woods and opened up the box to show her a dead woman inside. She is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court in Waco early next week. According to court records, Robinson admitted to Aguilar that he moved Guillens body from Fort Hood to a remote site in Bell County. They later burned the clothes they were wearing during the process at their home. On June 18, two months after Vanessa Guillen vanished, authorities found skeletal remains close to the base in Killeen. "I went to her room and her roommate answered the door," he said. The team also is charged with identifying any potentially systemic issues with the SHARP program at Fort Hood, as well as any resource constraints.. She was being held without bail. This statement, however, is inconsistent with the lengths of the calls, the complaint reads. On May 18, nearly a month after Vanessa Guillen's disappearance, investigators spoke to two witnesses who said they saw Robinson exiting the arms room on April 22 with a large case called a tough box, which they say he loaded into his car before driving away. Guilln told her family before she went missing that she had been sexually harassed by fellow soldiers, including by Spc. Agents once again searched the area and found scattered remains that appeared to have been placed into concrete and buried. The Army said leadership failed to take appropriate action. Hightower said that at around 10 p.m., he found out that the last person she'd worked with in the arms room was Spc. Martin said Fort Hood authorities contacted the military police, who got in touch with local police, then brought in the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID). Law & Crime Where is it? Aguilar was charged with conspiracy to hide and destroy evidence in connection to Vanessa Guillen's death and was denied bond on July 14, 2020. Suspect in Vanessa Guillen disappearance identified Army officials also stressed repeatedly at the news conference that there is "no credible information" that Guillen was the victim of sexual harassment or assault. Sexual assault in the U.S. military has increased over the past two years, according to a report from the Defense Department. Gloria Guillen said she saw her daughters health progressively deteriorate over the months leading up to her disappearance, saying her normally muscular and vibrant daughter became thin and reserved. They were like, 'Maybe you did go hiking with her, and maybe you did actually rape her and leave her out there. 2 killed, 4 wounded in Mississippi shooting; man arrested, 150 years later, Dixon bridge tragedy among nation's worst, Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy says he wants to 'shut down the FBI' and replace it with something that sounds a lot like the FBI, Sanders: Biden could win in a landslide, Brooklyn community members mourn the life of family killed in fire, Remembering the May 4, 1970, shootings at Kent State University, Cooler weather has arrived and looks to stay for the week ahead, Pine-Richland High School Band 2023 Pegasus Parade. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Gloria Guillen said that after learning of her daughters death, she was brought back to her prayer to God when Vanessa was just 15 days old. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Why? Robinson and his girlfriend allegedly tried to destroy and conceal Guillens body, according to the attorney. Robinson and Guillen were both members of the 3rd Cavalry Regiments engineer squadron, though they were assigned to different troops. Morales, a 24-year-old who also used the last name Wedel before his marriage, was last heard from on Aug. 20, 2019. This pretty much gave an instant alibi to the suspect. She remains in custody in the Bell County Jail awaiting charges by civilian authorities. At the time, there was not a missing soldier protocol in place. Although he has always been open to meet with the Guilln family. I want an investigation into what happened.. He acknowledged that agents uncovered statements on May 7 that could be considered sexual harassment. They attempted to burn the body, before placing the remains in three separate holes. Robinson was approached by law enforcement; however, he brandished a pistol and fired into his head, killing himself. In an interview with KXXV, a local television station in Killeen, Cruz said, "She was just gone, so she just disappeared. Robinson then placed the deceased soldier in a box and brought her to the Leon River, according to the complaint. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. Robinson fatally shot himself July 1 when authorities confronted him off post, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. All Aaron David Robinson, a suspect in the disappearance of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen, died by suicide on Wednesday By People Staff Published on July 2, 2020 Khawam said that if Guillendenied Robinsons advances in the armory room April 22, it could have led to her death. I prayed to God so much, Gloria said. Emailus. Watch the Guillen familys news conference below, courtesy of CBS Dallas-Fort Worth. Vanessa Guillen also spoke about it with her friends. Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. Aguilar purchased a bag of what she referred to as concrete from someone through Facebook messenger. Its impossible.. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. "We told them who to investigate from the beginning, and that's not what happened. He was questioned within two days of the criminal investigationHe was questioned very early on in this process.". Authorities argued Robinson wheeled Guillens body out of an arms room with a large tough box, and got the help of his girlfriend Cecily Ann Aguilar, 24, in burning the body. However, U.S. army officials on Thursday would still not release a timeline of the events before and following her disappearance, citing an active investigation. That brought me a bit of peace to my heart. The soldier worked in an adjacent building from where Specialist Guillen worked, said Army Criminal Investigation Command Special Agent Damon Phelps. Phelps said that at this time there is no credible information that Robinson sexually harassed Guillen, despite claims by the Guillen family lawyer. Hightower planned to go hiking with Guillen on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, the day she went missing. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. In 2007, a 25-year-old soldier was found dead of dehydration and hyperthermia four days after he disappeared during a solo training exercise testing on map-reading and navigation skills. And that's exactly what the criminal investigation is about," LaBoeuf said. Lupe Guillen, the sister of Spc. Army authorities have said a a superior noncommissioned officer in [Guillens] unit harassed her and theres no evidence she was sexually assaulted. Investigators say Vanessa Guilln was bludgeoned to death with a hammer inside an armory at Fort Hood by fellow soldier Aaron David Robinson on April 22 but On June 15, the Army raised the reward to $25,000 for anyone with information leading up to Guillen's whereabouts. "As close of friends as we were, she came to us about a lot of different stuff. She added that McCarthy has scheduled a press conference for Thursday with media at Fort Hood, Texas, but has not even contacted the Guilln family to let them know it was happening. Aaron David Robinson, another soldier at Fort Hood, allegedly attacked Guillen, per the Guillen family attorney. About two hours later, In the middle of a street, authorities converged on Robinson, who pulled out a gun and shot himself dead. Two months after Vanessa Guillen's disappearance, leadership at Fort Hood held a press conference where they announced that investigators believed that foul play was involved in her disappearance. soldier, was murdered and body Fort Hood soldier slain, dismembered on post, family attorney Morales had been listed as a deserter, but now the Army says foul play is suspected. You know how they say no one is perfect? Lupe asked. Landy said he knew word had gotten out about Vanessa Guillen's disappearance when he saw the military police at Fort Hood the next morning. Phelps denied allegations that Robinson was Guillen's superior, adding he was in "no way" in Guillen's line of command. family Because Im family! Many of the details of how investigators say Guillen was killed and dismembered were first reported by Army Times on Thursday. They said Robinson killed himself as officers moved in to arrest him late Tuesday night. And there was none," Martin said. She didn't die because God had a purpose for her. Robinson harassed her.". I need to know every single step of this issue! Vanessa Guillens body along the Leon River, about 30 miles from Fort Hood, after she was killed on April 22, the complaint alleged. According to a criminal complaint that details what investigators believe happened to Guillen, Aguilar said she drove with Robinson to the Leon River where they tried to dispose of the body. The familyquestioned how Robinson could have killed the soldier, stashed her ina case, cleaned up the blood and toted her body off base without being found out. Hes going to tell her, Honey, I killed her for you because she was going to report us. Hes not going to say, Honey, I was sexually harassing Vanessa again and killed her. . We believe Robinson could have made up that story to Aguilar because he needed help burying her body, Khawam said. Fort Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen's family obtains After a search began, police obtained Guillens phone records and saw that the last outgoing text message from her phone was to Robinsons cell phone. Suspect in Fort Hood soldier case kills self, 2nd suspect jailed after Vanessa Guillen, 20, also say that authorities failed to properly address her claims of facing sexual abuse. At that time, I suspected something was up. It's a nightmare," Cruz said. Phelps would not comment on the allegations made by Khawam that Robinson murdered her because it is still an ongoing investigation. I would truly wish to have her here than any of this, but this is where we are today.. Robinson shot himself in the head early With the 115th pick, the Chicago Bears selected Texas running back Roschon Johnson, a player who at Texas might've been "the star'' had Bijan Robinson (who went No. Meanwhile, she said, The President of the United States of America found the time in his very busy schedule to not only call the Guilln family but also invited this beautiful family to his home. Guillen, 20, was stationed at Fort Hood when she went missing on April 22. Gruesome details in report show Aguilar, at the request of law enforcement, placed a controlled telephone call to Robinson wherein he never denied anything they did to Guillen and her body, the complaint reads. Instead of Governor [of Texas Greg] Abbott, instead of the secretary of the Army, it is the president who is talking to me. Aaron David Robinson, of Calumet City, Ill., admitted early last week during a phone call to Aguilar, as an investigator listened in, that he killed Guillen. soldiers disappearance Guillen," Phelps said. Committee votes on major defense policy bill expected in May, Military families share workout with first lady Jill Biden, US conducts first evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war, Ukrainian drones strike Crimea oil depot, Russian official says, Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in Alaska helicopter crash, Understanding the role of artificial intelligence, Mark Kitz keynote speech at the C4ISRNET conference, The latest on software, data and artificial intelligence, Army grounds helicopter fleet for force-wide safety stand down, Army fielding new tactical feedback tool with fitness program features, Former NFLer, Ranger draws comparisons between NFL, military training, Three dead after two Apache helicopters collide in Alaska. The remains of Spc. Vanessa Guillen suffered mental anguish, fear, emotional distress, physical injury, and death as a result of sexual harassment, rape, sodomy, and physical assault., Nothing is going to bring her back, Vanessas sisterMayra Guillen said, according to KHOU. They did not confirm details cited by Khawam about where specifically remains were found and what condition they were in. Burned remains of a plastic tote or tough box were found in an area where Robinsons phone pinged. rights reserved. His death is still under investigation. It is claimed that he did so after she found out he was having an affair with a married woman, Cecily Aguilar, when she saw a picture of the woman on his phone. Aaron David Robinson, who officials say killed himself July 1, was accused of beating Guillen to death with a hammer while they worked together in an armory room the Robinson added that he returned to Fort Hood at 6:30 p.m. on the day of Guillens disappearance to use a government computer to enroll in training. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. This led investigators to search away from the actual scene of the crime. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq. Phelps said hundreds of acquaintances and friends were interviewed and there is no allegation whatsoever that shes been sexually assaulted or harassed and any hint of information that was sexual harassment was completely looked at without any credible information.. I wasnt there, they didnt tell me! Reports of suicide are Aaron David Robinson, who was assigned to A. Investigators discovered human remains which had been buried and covered in concrete. Cecily Aguilar, 22, helped Spc. And that's probably what happened to her.' ", Betavious "Tay" Hightower was another one of Guillen's "closest friends," he said. At first they tried to set her on fire, but she wouldnt burn. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, Allie Yang, Denise Martinez-Ramundo, Natalie Cardenas, and Chris Kilmer. Related: Army Investigating Fort Hood Sexual Assault Program After Soldier's Disappearance, Military COVID-19 Cases Spike 41% in June, With Upticks in Hotspot States, Army Investigating Fort Hood Sexual Assault Program After Soldier's Disappearance. The Secretary of the Army has not even called this family, and its been well over three months since Vanessa went missing,said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. Meanwhile, Natalie Khawam, an attorney for the Guillen family claimed to the Army Times in a report published Thursday that Guillen was killed by Robinson while she was on duty in the armory room at Fort Hood. Guillen, that's not to say on the morning of her murder that he wasn't in the in the act of assaulting or harassing her. Soldier Suspected in Vanessa Guillen's Disappearance Identified While Guillens family and their attorney, Natalie Khawam, say the remains found near the river are likely that of the missing soldier, U.S. army officials at Fort Hood on Thursday said the remains had yet to be identified. Pablo Saezsaid, according to CNN on Saturday. Follow Breitbart Newss Kristina Wong on Twitteror on Facebook. Khawam said she was told Robinson and his unnamed girlfriend were having an affair and that he called the woman to confess he had killed Guillen with a hammer. We were always fighting, but thats sisterhood. "Sometimes we'll go run, like, 3 miles or a few miles. Tim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Vanessa Guillen. I was just checking, but nothing. "The way that he knew that it was Vanessa was because he described her hair to me. "He said he didn't talk to her while he was in there. "We are still investigating their interactions, but at this point, there is no credible information of reports that Spc. Aaron Robinson of bludgeoning Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020, at Fort Hood. Cruz saw the woman he planned to marry for the last time on April 19, 2020, three days before she went missing. A Fort Hood soldier who authorities identified earlier Thursday as another suspect in Guillen's disappearance, E-4 Specialist Aaron David Robinson, allegedly told Aguilar that he killed a female soldier after hitting her in the head with a hammer, according to officials. We've received your submission. ", Maj. Gen. Gene LeBoeuf, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Forces Command, however, insisted that "Specialist Robinson was a person of interest early on in the investigation. How would Robinson be able to commit the perfect murder in 43 minutes? Robinson attacked Guillen with a hammer, Khawam alleges, citing information she says was provided to her by Army Criminal Investigation Command officials.
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