The Army said Wednesday they promoted Private First Class Guillen, 20, to specialist due to her time in service. However subsequent interviews have failed to [confirm] this allegation," Phelps said. And he was around us, too. "As close of friends as we were, she came to us about a lot of different stuff. Vanessa Guillen, 20, also say that authorities failed to properly address her claims of facing sexual abuse. 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's no longer here.' 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. Authorities have said that Spc. SEE RELATED STORY: Army officials reveal new details in Vanessa Then, he raced out of the room. Guillen, 20, was stationed at Fort Hood when she went missing on April 22. Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. The family does not accept the Armys explanation for a motive. "We told them who to investigate from the beginning, and that's not what happened. That brought me a bit of peace to my heart. Fort Hood officials said that the human remains discovered recently have not been 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. Justice will be done.. We went to the motor pool [to] see if maybe she got locked in.". 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. Army authorities have said a a superior noncommissioned officer in [Guillens] unit harassed her and theres no evidence she was sexually assaulted. The calls went as late as 3:30 a.m. the next morning and continued the next day. 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. The inspections goal is to examine how the program runs and whether leadership is supportive of soldiers reporting sexual harassment and assault, officials said in a statement Wednesday. rights reserved. Robinson, who fled his post at Fort Hood Tuesday, shot and killed himself as officers moved in to arrest him late Tuesday night in Killeen, Texas, according to officials. I just suggested to her, I was like, 'I can talk to this individual for you, or, you know, see what route we can take about this.' 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Authorities said that 20-year old Aaron David Robinson of Calumet City pulled a gun and shot himself as police were trying to make contact with him on Wednesday. Aaron Robinson of bludgeoning Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020, at Fort Hood. But, prior to that, there's no evidence whatsoever that Spc. Im her family! They filled out affidavits that said they had seen Vanessa at a different time from when she had actually departed the other arms room [controlled by Robinson], Secretary of the U.S. Army Ryan McCarthy has reportedlysaid. He joined the Army in October 2017, training as a 12B, Combat Engineer. "We were interviewing other people in the unit as well to find out, was there a relationship between Vanessa and Spc. 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. LaBoeuf revealed in an interview with "20/20" that she was "sexually harassed on two separate occasions by the same soldier" -- someone who was her superior. We keep demanding a congressional investigation! Robinson allegedly killed Guillen with a hammer in the army base's armory in April 2020. "I [was] going to the gas stations, to stores, to the [bus stops] posting missing [signs] like [for] the love of my life. He didnt leave for the rest of the night, except to use a government computer to enroll in training, according to this account. The hashtag became a platform where service members shared their own accounts of sexual harassment and assault. 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. Pablo Saezsaid, according to CNN on Saturday. Have I ever liked her? Investigators said she told them she and Robinson dismembered the body and dug three separate graves, then came back two days later to cover them with concrete. Two days later, the military opened up a separate inquiry looking into allegations that Guillen was sexually harassed by a supervisor. Martin said she went to the arms room, where she left her bank card, her ID card and the keys to her barracks room and car. ", "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. So, I feel like they should've came to that conclusion way earlier than they had. Investigators quickly determined that the remains were too old to be Guillen's. 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. 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. She has pleaded not guilty to charges. 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. 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. And the full story is here: https://t.co/LWqdPnIAQn pic.twitter.com/6VDFl3iOLG, KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) August 13, 2022, From October 1, 2019, to April 22, 2020, SPC, documents said. I was still asleep but I remember she gave me a kiss and she left.". Authorities said three soldiers accidentally gave Robinson an alibi, leading investigators away from the real killer. "Sometimes we'll go run, like, 3 miles or a few miles. She said Robinson could have lied to his girlfriend about why he killed Guillen. ET on ABC. Investigators spoke with Robinson, who said that Vanessa Guillen had left his arms room after completing a task. Trump said he would help her family with funeral expenses and directed the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate what happened to Guillen. Fort Hood is the largest active duty armoured unit post in the U.S. military, according to the posts website. She was caring and respectful and always used to joke about everything. "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? Spc. On June 18, two months after Vanessa Guillen vanished, authorities found skeletal remains close to the base in Killeen. Because Im family! ", Mayra Guillen said she "couldn't believe it.". Have a tip or story idea? According to court records, Robinson admitted to Aguilar that he moved Guillens body from Fort Hood to a remote site in Bell County. Aaron Robinson. Robinson was confined to his barracks around the time of the discovery, but he fled and died by suicide, authorities said. Aaron David Robinson, another soldier at Fort Hood, allegedly attacked Guillen, per the Guillen family attorney. July 2, 2020 / 10:25 PM They attempted to burn the body, before placing the remains in three separate holes. Nearly 40,000 infantrymen, cavalrymen, tankers, engineers, mechanics and health care professionals work at Fort Hood, which is nicknamed Great Place.. 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. "I didn't force her to do anything she didn't wanna do. "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." "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.". He said 11 have been removed from their positions permanently, and all 21 have "black marks" on their records "that will stay with them." The remains of Spc. So I went back outside and I walked to the parking lot, and I saw her Jeep there. LaBoeuf said he was "in Specialist Guillen's chain of command somebody that-- that had responsibility, a leadership role over Specialist Guillen. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about This is the lawsuit. Aguilar purchased a bag of what she referred to as concrete from someone through Facebook messenger. 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. Aaron David Robinson. The family has maintained that Guillen was sexually harassed by superiors at Fort Hood. 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 Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC News Digital. 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. "She didn't talk to too many people," Landy told "20/20." U.S. army officials on Thursday would not say whether Robinson and the woman knew each other, citing an ongoing investigation. Khawam said Robinson hid Guillens body in a Pelican case a hard-sided, watertight storage in common use in the military stored in the armoury room before later dumping her body near the Leon River. Vanessa Guillen, who has been missing from the Texas post since April. They reported her missing to her superiors that night, Guillen said, though investigatorssaid the Army told the family. We tried to tell them that it was this person, and he was just walking around like nothing happened. "We are still investigating their interactions, but at this point, there is no credible information of reports that Spc. The Army's Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Forces Command.Maj. And this time they didn't tell me, 'It's not her.'" To order copies of The Calumet City native entered the Army in October 2017 and was a combat engineer. "She didn't deserve any of that. Together, they dismembered the body using a hatchet and a machete-type knife, the complained alleged. About two hours later, In the middle of a street, authorities converged on Robinson, who pulled out a gun and shot himself dead. Robinson walked Aguilar over to the woods and opened up the box to show her a dead woman inside. He remembered helping her with weightlifting and she helped him work on squats and deadlifts. Company, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the time Guillen, a fellow 3rd Cavalry soldier, disappeared April 22. Mayra Guillen said. ", Chris Swecker, a former leader in the FBI who helped lead the independent review panel at Fort Hood, said that even though the command investigation found "no evidence that Spc. How would Robinson be able to commit the perfect murder in 43 minutes? But it was not so much for harassment; it was for harassment, but there is something more, she continued. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Army officials said on Tuesday that they found partial human remains near the Leon River about 30 miles outside Fort Hood. Investigators and volunteers had searched along the Leon River without success. 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. The Armys account of how Guillen died remains riddled with holes that investigators refuse to clarify, said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. Who doesnt fight?. "There was a lot of silence after that one. Aaron David Robinson, 20, who had allegedly walked in on Guillen while she was showering in a locker room and watched. I would truly wish to have her here than any of this, but this is where we are today.. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. And that's what the criminal investigation is seeking answers to as well.". Gloria Guillen, along with her daughters, drove to Killeen the night of April 22 because Vanessa had not returned phone calls or text messages the entire day. Aaron David Robinson was a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier who trained as a 12B, Combat Engineer. Contractors discovered the remains near the Leon River on June 30, 2020, authorities said. U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., will introduce legislation on the House floor next week. Robinson, who was supposed to be confined to a barracks room on Fort Hood, secretly left post on the night of June 30. Guillen, 20, were found near the Leon River in Bell County in late June,nearly three months after she was last heard from while working inside an armory room at Fort Hood. He told investigators that he and Guillen exchanged paperwork for a .50 caliber machine gun that needed to be serviced and she left the arms room. Earlier Thursday, Phelps said that Robinson died by suicide early Wednesday after fleeing Fort Hood the night before. "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. The Guillen family wants more answers, too. She is currently in custody awaiting her first court appearance. Robinson then placed the deceased soldier in a box and brought her to the Leon River, according to the complaint. She said she hoped publicizing such questions would push the Army to answer the familys pleas for transparency. She never deployed overseas but was awarded the Army Commendation Medal (posthumously), the National Defense Service Ribbonand the Army Service Ribbon. Aaron David Robinson, another soldier at Fort Hood, allegedly attacked Guillen, per the Guillen family attorney. I want an investigation into what happened.. And it's like we could have did something, but we didn't know.". "We will release information on those remains as soon as we can and after notification is made with the next of kin.". ", 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.". Morales, a 24-year-old who also used the last name Wedel before his marriage, was last heard from on Aug. 20, 2019. I am not nervous to talk with him because this needs to stop, she said. Khawam said she contacted McCarthys office in June, but has not received a call back yet. 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. 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. . Vanessa Guillens body along the Leon River, about 30 miles from Fort Hood, after she was killed on April 22, the complaint alleged. Army investigators repeatedly denied detaining any other suspects. Vanessa Guillen. 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. Guillens family, joined by friends and strangers in the Killeen community, worked tirelessly to demand justice and a thorough search for the missing soldier. She didn't die because God had a purpose for her. [Image via Army Criminal Investigative Command], Have a tip we should know? Did my girl have to die? The family held protests outside the post in Killeen and inHouston and Washington, demanding answers because they said they were consistently left in the dark. EMBED <> More Videos Then they dismembered this beautiful U.S. soldiers body with a machete. 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. "This gruesome murder should never have happened.". Phelps said the Army has no credible information or reports that Guillen was sexually assaulted. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. It's a nightmare," Cruz said. Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old Army Specialist, was identified as the person of interest in Guillen's case. The family has called repeatedly for a congressional investigation, not an Army-directed investigation, however. The criminal case against Aguilar is ongoing. Reports of suicide are Aaron Robinson, 20, dispose of Spc. Investigators suspect a fellow soldier, Spc. Aguilar was interviewed on June 19. 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. "Nevertheless, we are still investigating.". Damon Phelps, the lead investigator for the military, claimed that the alleged killer, Although he has always been open to meet with the Guilln family. This statement, however, is inconsistent with the lengths of the calls, the complaint reads. Once Guillen was dead, Robinson then allegedly contacted his married girlfriend to help him bury her bloody body, Khawam said, according to the outlet. Guilln told her family before she went missing that she had been sexually harassed by fellow soldiers, including by Spc. During a news conference, Army Criminal Investigation Command Special Agent Damon Phelps named the now-deceased soldier as Spc. Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. He acknowledged that agents uncovered statements on May 7 that could be considered sexual harassment. Company, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the time Guillen, a fellow 3rd Cavalry soldier, disappeared April 22. An Army investigation into her disappearance has led to the recent discovery of human remains in Belton, Texas, but officials say that they have not yet been positively identified. His death is still under investigation. On the other hand, murals aren't made for just anyone. "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. 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. She told investigators that she and Robinson were together the entire night on April 22.
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