He said that person, along with 20 others, are in the process of "being held accountable." "As close of friends as we were, she came to us about a lot of different stuff. LupeGuilln, 16, slammed McCarthy at a press conference last week for not inviting her to the July 10 meeting. Khawam said the family told her that Guillen had planned to file a harassment complaint against Robinson the day after she was killed, and 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. 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. Aguilar purchased a bag of what she referred to as concrete from someone through Facebook messenger. On July 30, Khawam and the family will push for a law to allow a third-party investigative team to look into reports of sexual harassment within the military. "Sometimes we'll go run, like, 3 miles or a few miles. 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. She is currently in custody awaiting her first court appearance. "Our agents are working very closely with the Armed Forces Medical Examiner to expedite identification of the remains," Phelps said. She said she hoped publicizing such questions would push the Army to answer the familys pleas for transparency. While the remains had been mostly obscured, there was a lock of hair that was sticking out. 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 We tried to tell them that it was this person, and he was just walking around like nothing happened. The Guillens said that instead of mourning their loss with family and friends, they plan to grieve in front of cameras and film crews until they believe justice has been served. Vanessa Guillen. The Armymaintained that it found no substantial evidence that Robinson was sexually harassing Guillen. I know that this is not going to bring back my daughter, Gloria said between tears. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. "We will release information on those remains as soon as we can and after notification is made with the next of kin.". 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. 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. Robinson harassed her.". "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. They attempted to burn the body, before placing the remains in three separate holes. Investigators and volunteers had searched along the Leon River without success. It's her last known communication. We were always fighting, but thats sisterhood. Robinson sexually harassed Spc. Spc. Aguilar was charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Im her family! The family called the movement the #MeToo of the military. 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. Landy said he found out his friend's remains had been found from a news article. Robinsons fatal shooting took place in the 4700 block of East Rancier Avenue in Aaron David Robinson, 20, beat Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020 in Fort Hood, Texas. "They said the whole room was painted in red, Khawam said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. 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 She taught me many things because she was always tender, she was loving to me and we always loved each other. Aguilar has been charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. A box with wheels and handles was already there when she arrived. They then placed the remains back in the three holes with the concrete, the complaint alleged. Aaron Robinson. Robinson consented to a search of his cell phone the next day. Cecily Aguilar, 22, a civilian, told investigators Robinson asked her to help hide a body. A petition started in 2021, a year after 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guilln was bludgeoned to death by soldier Aaron David Robinson, that calls for the Khawam said that if Guillendenied Robinsons advances in the armory room April 22, it could have led to her death. I am not nervous to talk with him because this needs to stop, she said. Efflandt on Thursday added that he personally invited a team to the post earlier in the week to inspect its Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program, or SHARP. Born and raised in Houston to immigrants from Mexico, Guillen was one of six children. I was still asleep but I remember she gave me a kiss and she left.". July 2, 2020 / 10:25 PM Robinson and Aguilar uncovered the remains, removed them and burned them again along with their gloves and hairnets. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. "I didn't wanna think the worst, but [I was experiencing] a lotta panic.". 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. Killeen Police have body camera video and dashcam video from the incident but none of it has been released. 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. But Khawam publicly announced what U.S. army officials told the family after the remains were located, according to Army Times. "So he can murder her but he wouldn't sexually harass her. 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.. And it's like we could have did something, but we didn't know.". Aaron David Robinson, who was assigned to A. Guillen's family says she had dreamed of serving her country in the military since she was a child. 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. Guillens sister, Mayra, previously told NBC's "Dateline" that Guillen never identified the person who allegedly harassed her and never reported the incidents to the Armys sexual harassment and prevention program. Robinson fatally shot himself July 1 when authorities confronted him off post, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In 2020, he had / CBS Chicago. Company, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the time Guillen, a fellow 3rd Cavalry soldier, disappeared April 22. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. 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. 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. At 6 p.m, Hightower says he went looking for her. ", Time magazine unveils list of '100 Most Influential People', SF apartment residents recap ordeal with days-long power outage, CA influencer convicted of lying about kids' attempted kidnapping: DA. Army investigatorstold the family they found blood residue splattered throughout the armory room, which would have happened when Robinson killed Guillen with a hammer, Khawam said. The Army said leadership failed to take appropriate action. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, an Iraq War veteran, is the Democratic lead sponsor. Robinson, who was supposed to be confined to a barracks room on Fort Hood, secretly left post on the night of June 30. Morales, a 24-year-old who also used the last name Wedel before his marriage, was last heard from on Aug. 20, 2019. Army authorities have said a a superior noncommissioned officer in [Guillens] unit harassed her and theres no evidence she was sexually assaulted. Authorities said three soldiers accidentally gave Robinson an alibi, leading investigators away from the real killer. Aaron Robinson, 20, dispose of Spc. "We need to know exactly what went on in that arms room. She reports, writes and produces stories for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com. Republication or distribution of this content is And they were just trying to see my reaction.". After police issued a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) alert for Robinson in July, Robinson fled and killed himself as police approached. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. However, they were coworkers, he said. I see her murals and I say to myself, 'Damn, this is reality. "There was one time they brought me in and they were asking questions: have I ever found her attractive, and have I ever tried her? She said she begged her daughter to tell her what was wrong. A review of the call logs showed Robinson contacted Aguilar multiple times on the night Guillen disappeared. Earlier Thursday, Phelps said that Robinson died by suicide early Wednesday after fleeing Fort Hood the night before. At first they tried to set her on fire, but she wouldnt burn. Fort Hood officials suspected foul play in the disappearances of both Morales and Guillen, but said they did not believe they were linked. "It's so important because it will bring the help my sister never obtained, it will bring the voice my sister never had.". Meanwhile, Cruz and Vanessa's sisters were desperately trying to spread word of her disappearance on their own. 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. Robinson died by suicide Emailus. And that's exactly what the criminal investigation is about," LaBoeuf said. The two worked together to burn the body, dismember it, mix the parts with concrete and bury the remains in three holes, the filing added. Hightower said that as they investigated her disappearance, he began to hear rumors circulating around the base about what had happened to his friend, including that she had been kidnapped at a church and that someone had taken her three hours away. "The murderer sexually harassed her and then killed her," the Whistleblower Law Firm attorney, told Military.com in a statement. "I was like, 'About time they said it,'" Cruz said. Robinson who fled his post Tuesday, fatally shot himself early Wednesday when police in Killeen saw him walking on the road and attempted to make She was caring and respectful and always used to joke about everything. She had told me since she was 10 years old that she was going to the Army, since she was 10 years old.. After the Army found her remains and confirmed her death on July 6, McCarthy still did not call Guillns family, but tweeted that his thoughts and prayers were with them. EMBED <> More Videos Robinson, who had been in the Army since 2017, worked in the same Regimental Engineer Squadron as Guillen. 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. Have a tip or story idea? Robinson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when approached by law enforcement on Tuesday, according to Killeen police. He said he then went to spend the night with his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, off the base. In the last year, her name has become a rallying cry for women's safety and military reform. Guillen, 20, were found near the Leon River in Bell County in late June, Civilian searcher says Army overlooked evidence after Vanessa Guillen's death. Lupe Guilllen, 16, Vanessas sister, said the fight is not over until the Army stops telling lies and gives the family answers. 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. Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. However, Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt and Phelps on Thursday said there is still no evidence linking sexual harassment to Guillens disappearance. The witnesses watched him load the box into his vehicle and drive away. Sexual assault in the U.S. military has increased over the past two years, according to a report from the Defense Department. We were kind of aware [of] what was going on," Landy said. This is the lawsuit. Vanessa Guillen was killed April 22, the day of her disappearance, by Spc. She's no longer here.' And that's what the criminal investigation is seeking answers to as well.". 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? Khawam said the family revealed those allegations to investigators late last month. 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. "That entrance leads to [the] 3rd Calvary Regiment," Lupe Guillen said. Who doesnt fight?. Aguilars phone was also tracked and revealed she was near the Leon River with Robinson on April 23 and 26. Guillen went there to confirm serial numbers for weapons. She attended her first Army training in June 2018 and was later stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, making the three hour drive back to Houston every weekend to see her family. They said Robinson killed himself as officers moved in to arrest him late Tuesday night. His death is still under investigation. 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. The last time she texted me was that morning, and she just sent a screenshot with the weather. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. He remembered helping her with weightlifting and she helped him work on squats and deadlifts. Many of the details of how investigators say Guillen was killed and dismembered were first reported by Army Times on Thursday. Military investigators said Guillen was bludgeoned with a hammer. She has pleaded not guilty to charges. He was scheduled to be discharged from the Army within a couple of days of his disappearance, Fort Hood officials have said. She said Robinson could have lied to his girlfriend about why he killed Guillen. "I was astonished that they had so much information and details. Vanessa Guillen 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. Aaron David Robinson, 20, who had allegedly walked in on Guillen while she was showering in a locker room and watched. This led investigators to search away from the actual scene of the crime. As an infant, Vanessa wasintubated,clinging to life at a hospital. You know how they say no one is perfect? Lupe asked. Every single step!. 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. Where is it? They Refused to Fight for Russia. Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC News Digital. 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. Officials did not identify a civilian woman they arrested Tuesday in connection with Guillen's disappearance, described earlier as the estranged wife of a former soldier. She was reported missing in April but her remains were not found until July. KILLEEN, Texas (CBS) -- A Calumet City soldier was the main suspect in the murder of fellow soldier Vanessa Guillen, CBS 2 has learned. "But, I guess, apparently I'm kind of funny sometimes, and she'd crack up all the time. The family has called repeatedly for a congressional investigation, not an Army-directed investigation, however. Robinson and Guillen were both members of the 3rd Cavalry Regiments engineer squadron, though they were assigned to different troops. And he was around us, too. Mayra Guillen said last week that much of what the family learned about her younger sisters disappearance was through media reports and news conferences. Pablo Saezsaid, according to CNN on Saturday. Robinson was one of the last people to see Guilln alive at Fort Hood and he had been interviewed by investigators when Guilln's initial disappearance was reported but Although he has always been open to meet with the Guilln family. That brought me a bit of peace to my heart. ", Mayra Guillen said she "couldn't believe it.". Because she is a civilian in the custody of local authorities, Army CID will not be releasing any further information concerning her or her status at this time, Phelps said, adding that no organization had yet been assigned to the womans case nor was anyone given the authority to release her name. "She had suspected it was gonna be a half-day. Mayra Guillen said. Guillen was last seen at a parking lot in Fort Hood, where she was stationed, on April 22. Also, at 4 p.m. that day, she "was mistakenly marked present," he said. Slain Fort Hood soldier was sexually harassed, but not by Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old Army Specialist, was identified as the person of interest in Guillen's case. 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. I wasnt there, they didnt tell me! "Can you try to investigate even further as to why this was committed? "I said, 'Vanessa's been found,'" he remembered. Khawam said she was told a third suspect was detained. "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. Tim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. US Army officials on Thursday identified a suspect in the disappearance of missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen as an attorney for the victims family claimed that the same perpetrator attacked Guillen with a hammer and dismembered her body with a machete. Lupe Guillen, the sister of Spc. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Investigators went to the location and found a burn pile, which included a tough box that had not burned completely. Robinson was confined to his barracks around the time of the discovery, but he fled and died by suicide, authorities said. Her family is still looking for answers as to why she was killed, and how her murderer escaped justice. "However, all sexual harassment allegations are being investigated, as they are in every other instance.". "We told them who to investigate from the beginning, and that's not what happened. HOUSTON -- Vanessa Guillen will forever be 20 years old, engaged but will never be married. The family deserves these answers.". Then they dismembered this beautiful US soldiers body with a machete, Khawan claimed, adding that She needs to be brought to justice., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Fort Hood soldier died by suicide after being sexually harassed, family says, Female soldier, 21, found dead at Fort Hood -- 3 years after Vanessa Guillen's brutal slaying, The Army is scrapping Fort Hood name here's who it will be renamed for, Family of slain Texas soldier seeking $35 million in damages, missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen. Robinson that we didn't know about? She was being held without bail. A guard gave chase but Robinson was able to get into a car and leave the base. Local law enforcement later found Robinson on East Rancier Avenue, east of Fort Hood near North Twin Creek Drive, where he pulled a gun and shot himself when confronted by Killeen police early Wednesday. 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. Aguilar's lawyers have filed a motion to throw out the entire case and another motion to suppress the statements officers say she made. 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.

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