"So he can murder her but he wouldn't sexually harass her. Due to the ongoing legal proceedings by the United States attorney's office, Western District of Texas, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time, said Christopher Grey, spokesman for the Armys Criminal Investigation Command. To order Contractors discovered the remains near the Leon River on June 30, 2020, authorities said. Army CID, Texas Rangers and Bell County sheriffs first searched the Leon River site on June 21. Army officials identify two suspects in case of missing Fort Hood soldier, Partial remains were found in Bell County earlier this week. We were always fighting, but thats sisterhood. Guilln told her family before she went missing that she had been sexually harassed by fellow soldiers, including by Spc. Im her family! Aguilar helped law enforcement locate Robinson in the city of Killeen. The family called the movement the #MeToo of the military. On April 22, a witness saw Guillen leave the armory where she was working to visit a separate armory controlled by Robinson, the complaint stated. 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. ", "On my way there, I was just crying because I couldn't understand it," Mayra Guillen said. "She didn't deserve any of that. However subsequent interviews have failed to [confirm] this allegation," Phelps said. Slain Fort Hood soldier was sexually harassed, but not by President Trump even found time to meet and speak with this family and yet McCarthy is still doing press conferences without a single call to this poor family whose daughter they sent to serve in his Army, Khawam added. You know how frustrating it was for me to not be there? And that's probably what happened to her.' It's her last known communication. Robinson was confined to his barracks around the time of the discovery, but he fled and died by suicide, authorities said. Robinson died by suicide Aaron David Robinson, 20, beat Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020 in Fort Hood, Texas. Robinson was a suspect in Guillen's disappearance, but he "was not involved" in the separate investigation looking into the sexual harassment allegations, said Phelps. And it's like we could have did something, but we didn't know.". After the sexual harassment reports surfaced, many service members have used the hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillen to share their experiences with sexual assault and harassment on social media. She is currently in custody awaiting her first court appearance. HOUSTON Gloria Guillens fingers clenched her Rosary as she painfully described one of her last memories of her daughter the moment the proud mother learned Army Spc. Guillen was last seen at a parking lot in Fort Hood, where she was stationed, on April 22. Gregory Morales, right outside the post in Killeen last month. Guillen went there to confirm serial numbers for weapons. Jessica Priest is an investigative reporter for USA TODAY, reach her at jpriest@gatehousemedia.com. More:Civilian searcher says Army overlooked evidence after Vanessa Guillen's death Investigators suspect a fellow soldier, Spc. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A review of the call logs showed Robinson contacted Aguilar multiple times on the night Guillen disappeared. Investigators later learned Robinson's phone pinged in Belton, Texas, by a bridge near the Leon River, about a 30 minutes away from base in the early morning hours after Vanessa vanished. Nothing. Robinson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when approached by law enforcement on Tuesday, according to Killeen police. Investigators spoke to over 300 soldiers in Vanessa Guillen's unit, including Hightower. A Fort Hood soldier who authorities identified earlier Thursday as another suspect in Guillen's disappearance, E-4 Specialist Aaron David Robinson, allegedly told According to court records, Robinson admitted to Aguilar that he moved Guillens body from Fort Hood to a remote site in Bell County. At that time, I suspected something was up. "I was astonished that they had so much information and details. Vanessa Guillen was a private first class, so he technically ranked above her, though she was about to also become a specialist. Aguilar's lawyers have filed a motion to throw out the entire case and another motion to suppress the statements officers say she made. Robinson attacked Guillen with a hammer, Khawam alleges, citing information she says was provided to her by Army Criminal Investigation Command officials. Robinson shot himself in the head early Aaron Robinson. Then, he raced out of the room. According to investigators, he even texted her links to news articles about the remains discovered near the Leon River. "We are still investigating their interactions, but at this point, there is no credible information of reports that Spc. "Three separate soldiers had indicated that they had seen Specialist Vanessa Guillen departing the arms room and moving towards a motor pool area where vehicles are maintained." Later, the world learned that she had told her mother she was sexually harassed on the base. Robinson texted Aguilar pictures of news articles that reported about how law enforcement had found human remains near the Leon River, later saying over the phone, baby they found pieces, they found pieces, the complaint reads. 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. Aguilar was charged later in the afternoon with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. She disappeared in April. We've received your submission. My thoughts and prayers are with Vanessas family and all of her loved ones, and our focus is turned to supporting her family and honoring her legacy. Vanessa Guillen, who has been missing from the Texas post since April. "We told them who to investigate from the beginning, and that's not what happened. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Officials would also not say whether Guillens supervisors tried to check in with her at any point during the day after she was suspected to have been abducted. "It's so important because it will bring the help my sister never obtained, it will bring the voice my sister never had.". 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dismembered human remains believed to be Guillen's were found in a shallow grave about 30 miles east of the Fort Hood base this week. 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. "But, I guess, apparently I'm kind of funny sometimes, and she'd crack up all the time. He said 11 have been removed from their positions permanently, and all 21 have "black marks" on their records "that will stay with them." Company, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the time Guillen, a fellow 3rd Cavalry soldier, disappeared April 22. Reports of suicide are A spokesperson for McCarthy confirmed to Breitbart News that he had not contacted the family: Yes thats correct. Authorities accused Robinsons girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, Texas, of helping him dismember, burn and bury Guillens body about 20 miles away from the post. 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. Soldiers can and have gone missing, and it can take a while to find them, even when foul play is not suspected. She hadn't been responding to texts or calls from family, either, and as day turned to night, Cruz and Vanessa's sister, Mayra Guillen, drove to Fort Hood. pic.twitter.com/mWwjiJx4ly. Historically you couldnt sue the DOD if youre a victim of sexual harassment/assault due to the DODs broad misapplication of the Feres Doctrine, a 1950s Supreme Court decision that never included or addressed sexual assault, yet the DOD continued to use that case to evade accountability, Guillen family attorney Natalie Khawam told CNN. The Guillen sisters in unison agreed that the investigators explanation was wrong. Khawam said that if Guillendenied Robinsons advances in the armory room April 22, it could have led to her death. The family of a slain U.S. Army soldier is suing the Department of the Army, saying authorities failed to protect her from her killer. I prayed to God so much, Gloria said. 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. ", Authorities said the investigation on Guillen's disappearance remains ongoing and that they will continue to be careful about the information being shared in order to avoid "an impact on prosecution and charges.". They then placed the remains back in the three holes with the concrete, the complaint alleged. "We suspected him. July 2, 2020 / 10:25 PM / CBS Chicago KILLEEN, Texas (CBS) -- A Calumet City soldier was the main suspect in the murder of fellow soldier Vanessa Guillen, CBS 2 has The Guillen family wants more answers, too. She was reported missing in April but her remains were not found until July. / CBS Chicago. 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. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has yet to personally call and offer condolences to the family of Spc. Born and raised in Houston to immigrants from Mexico, Guillen was one of six children. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. At 6 p.m, Hightower says he went looking for her. At Efflandt's request, Army Forces Command ordered a seven-member inspector general team to Fort Hood to review the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, (SHARP). "That's the regiment Vanessa used to work, and everyone that passes through that gate will see my sister's name, my sister's picture and remind themselves about how sexual harassment and assault has to be taken seriously, and about the way she was murdered because no one deserves that.". After police issued a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) alert for Robinson in July, Robinson fled and killed himself as police approached.Police arrested his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, who told police that Robinson had killed Guilln with a hammer in an armory room on base and enlisted her help to bury her body in April. Emailus. They called local sheriffs out to the area; the Texas Rangers and Fort Hood CID soon followed. (Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP). And they were just trying to see my reaction.". Two days later, the military opened up a separate inquiry looking into allegations that Guillen was sexually harassed by a supervisor. Please enter valid email address to continue. Follow Breitbart Newss Kristina Wong on Twitteror on Facebook. At a news conference Thursday, the Army identified the soldier suspected in Guillens disappearance as Aaron David Robinson. Mayra Guillen said last week that much of what the family learned about her younger sisters disappearance was through media reports and news conferences. 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. However, officials did say the woman was a civilian and the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier. Aaron David Robinson, beat Guillen to death with a hammer the morning of April 22. The hashtag became a platform where service members shared their own accounts of sexual harassment and assault. Robinson, who was supposed to be confined to a barracks room on Fort Hood, secretly left post on the night of June 30. 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. . Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC News Digital. She remains in custody in the Bell County Jail awaiting charges by civilian authorities. Khawam said the family told her that Guillen had planned to file a harassment complaint against Robinson the day after she was killed, and As an infant, Vanessa wasintubated,clinging to life at a hospital. The pile went 3 feet into the ground and the dirt was fresh, but investigators did not find any human remains, said Tim Miller, who helped lead the search with his organization EquuSearch. Well, Vanessa was that (perfect) person. That's [what] we want to have that answered as well. "They said the whole room was painted in red, Khawam said. "There was a lot of silence after that one. Vanessa Guilln, a 20-year-old soldier murdered in April at Fort Hood, the familys lawyer told Breitbart News on Wednesday. Vanessa Guillen also spoke about it with her friends. Cecily Aguilar, 22, a civilian, told investigators Robinson asked her to help hide a body. "She didn't talk to too many people," Landy told "20/20." We believe Robinson could have made up that story to Aguilar because he needed help burying her body, Khawam said. And this time they didn't tell me, 'It's not her.'" ", Landy said Robinson acted "upset" that everybody kept "blowing up his phone.". Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. Aaron David Robinson, 20, beat Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020 in Fort Hood, Texas. Guillns family, along with Khawam, met with Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday. This statement, however, is inconsistent with the lengths of the calls, the complaint reads. "Nothing really can bring her back at all but as long as we know how to honor her name and how to make this change, I feel like that would be some closure for us," Mayra Guillen said. Aaron Robinson of bludgeoning Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020, at Fort Hood. "The criminal investigation has not found any connection between sexual harassment and Vanessa's disappearance," Maj. Scott Efflandt, deputy commanding general of III Corps and Fort Hood, said. "It was so many rumors, we didn't know what to believe," Hightower said. 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 Immediately, Vanessas dad said, Thats not something Vanessa would do, Khawam said. Robinson was approached by law enforcement; however, he brandished a pistol and fired into his head, killing himself. 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. "I didn't wanna think the worst, but [I was experiencing] a lotta panic.". [Image via Army Criminal Investigative Command], Have a tip we should know? 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. ", Betavious "Tay" Hightower was another one of Guillen's "closest friends," he said. When they spoke to Aguilar, investigators said she claimed he was calling that night because she couldn't find her phone. 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. Landy said it was frustrating that investigators were seemingly not suspicious of Robinson. Guillen," Phelps said. But it was not so much for harassment; it was for harassment, but there is something more, she continued. 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. On May 18, two witnesses said that on the day of Guillens disappearance, they observed Robinson pulling a large tough box,' with wheels, that appeared very heavy out of the armory where he worked. Robinson harassed her.". 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. Guillen, 20, was stationed at Fort Hood when she went missing on April 22. But it wasn't too much I can do.". army officials at Fort Hood on Thursday identified the soldier who killed himself this week after he was questioned about his possible involvement in the disappearance of Spc. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. Robinson then placed the deceased soldier in a box and brought her to the Leon River, according to the complaint. I was still asleep but I remember she gave me a kiss and she left.". And she said no. Sheconfided to her family that it was Robinson. Trump said he would help her family with funeral expenses and directed the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate what happened to Guillen. They were like, 'Maybe you did go hiking with her, and maybe you did actually rape her and leave her out there. He was hospitable with us, very generous with his time, compassionate and empathetic with the family and me in the Oval Office of the White House.. Goodnight,'" he said. Robinson walked Aguilar over to the woods and opened up the box to show her a dead woman inside. Investigators said Aguilar helped mutilate and dispose of Guillens body and recognized the remains as Guillen. The Armys account of how Guillen died remains riddled with holes that investigators refuse to clarify, said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. Vanessa Guillen, 20, also say that authorities failed to properly address her claims of facing sexual abuse. "She told me, 'I love you. The family deserves these answers.". The inspection will assess whether the command climate at Hood is supportive of soldiers reporting sexual harassment and seek to identify any potential systemic issues within the program at Hood, Efflandt said. Her family is still looking for answers as to why she was killed, and how her murderer escaped justice. The repeated calls from Robinson were because she could not find her phone and he was calling to help her locate the device, she told investigators. Pablo Saezsaid, according to CNN on Saturday. At 10:23 a.m., Guillen sent a text message confirming the serial number of a machine gun. Officials said that her car keys, barracks room key, identification card and wallet were found in the armory room where she was working on the day she disappeared. The soil beneath the burn site was remarkably softer and moister than the soil found at similar depths merely feet away and had an odor of decomposition, the complaint reads. Although he has always been open to meet with the Guilln family. Investigators discovered human remains which had been buried and covered in concrete. Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq. Army Criminal Investigation Command investigators sat down with the Guillen family the day of Robinsons death and told them the 20-year-old soldier killed Guillen because she had seen a photo of Aguilar on his phone, recognized her as a woman married to another Fort Hood soldierand threatened to report his affair, according to Khawam. "She had suspected it was gonna be a half-day. 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. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. She was reported missing in April but her remains were not found until July. "We were interviewing other people in the unit as well to find out, was there a relationship between Vanessa and Spc. "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. She was being held without bail. All She needs to be brought to justice.. Her disappearance happened at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while "everybody's sheltering," he said, so "we had very few soldiers moving about.". Who doesnt fight?. Phelps would not comment on the allegations made by Khawam that Robinson murdered her because it is still an ongoing investigation. She taught me many things because she was always tender, she was loving to me and we always loved each other. Investigators quickly determined that the remains were too old to be Guillen's. And if he did not sexually harass her, let's just play that part, well then why the heck would he bludgeon her to death? Guillen's loved ones say she had always been a fitness fanatic. Just why?" Phelps said that at this time there is no credible information that Robinson sexually harassed Guillen, despite claims by the Guillen family lawyer. Fort Hood is the largest active duty armoured unit post in the U.S. military, according to the posts website. What are cy pres awards and how do they work. 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. He joined the Army in October 2017, training as a 12B, Combat Engineer. 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. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. The suspect was identified as 20-year-old Aaron David Robinson of Illinois who joined the Army in October 2017 as a combat engineer, KHOU reported. I am not nervous to talk with him because this needs to stop, she said. "Memories never die," he said. Aguilar has been charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. So, I feel like they should've came to that conclusion way earlier than they had. Robinson and Guillen were both members of the 3rd Cavalry Regiments engineer squadron, though they were assigned to different troops. Dawn Gomez holds her 3-year-old granddaughter, Saryia Greer, who waves at Vanessa Guillen's mural painted by Alejandro "Donkeeboy" Roman Jr. on the side of Taqueria Del Sol, Thursday, July 2, 2020, in Houston. Because they are alive, and my girl is not. This week the 9th Circuit held that sexual assault is not incident to service, and therefore the Feres Doctrine should not apply to service members who are sexually assaulted.. I Am Vanessa Guillen: Everything You Need to Know - Netflix Every single step!. 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. Watch the Guillen familys news conference below, courtesy of CBS Dallas-Fort Worth.
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