Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. Every minute that passes is killing me inside, slowly.". Sitting in her Houston home last week beside her youngest daughter, Lupe, who translated for the interview, Gloria Guillen said in Spanish that Vanessa gleamed with excitement as she planned for a wedding in November 2021. July 2, 2020 / 10:25 PM "So he can murder her but he wouldn't sexually harass her. Have a tip or story idea? The Guillen family said Vanessa told other soldiers at Fort Hood that she was being sexually harassed. The hashtag became a platform where service members shared their own accounts of sexual harassment and assault. ", 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. This led investigators to search away from the actual scene of the crime. However, officials did say the woman was a civilian and the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier. Emailus. Copyright 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. This statement, however, is inconsistent with the lengths of the calls, the complaint reads. Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. 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. Partial remains were found in Bell County earlier this week but have not been formally identified as Guillen, prosecutors said. The criminal case against Aguilar is ongoing. "I didn't force her to do anything she didn't wanna do. Gen. Gene LeBoeuf told "20/20" in an exclusive interview that there were several factors that threw off the investigation in its early stages. But Khawam publicly announced what U.S. army officials told the family after the remains were located, according to Army Times. Guillen," Phelps said. I know that this is not going to bring back my daughter, Gloria said between tears. Aguilar helped law enforcement locate Robinson in the city of Killeen. Unidentifed remains believed by family members to be those of Guillen were recovered this week along the Leon River and are undergoing forensic testing. Cecily Aguilar, 22, was charged in connection to the disappearance of Spc. Why? "Nevertheless, we are still investigating.". Gloria said she believes her prayers healed Vanessa. Phelps said the Army has no credible information or reports that Guillen was sexually assaulted. Investigators brought a cadaver dog, which signaled that a body might have been thrown in the water. Aaron David Robinson was a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier who trained as a 12B, Combat Engineer. Khawam earlier this week said a man at Fort Hood had walked in on Guillen while she was showering naked. Phelps would not comment on the allegations made by Khawam that Robinson murdered her because it is still an ongoing investigation. But, prior to that, there's no evidence whatsoever that Spc. Contractors discovered the remains near the Leon River on June 30, 2020, authorities said. Morales had been listed as a deserter, but now the Army says foul play is suspected. Immediately, Vanessas dad said, Thats not something Vanessa would do, Khawam said. She reports, writes and produces stories for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com. 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 They did not confirm details cited by Khawam about where specifically remains were found and what condition they were in. 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. This heinous act caused her blood to be splashed all over the armory room, Khawam said in a statement to the Army Times. "[I was] angry and sad at the same time, because he was in our face the whole time," Hightower said. Just why?" "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.". The "I Am Vanessa Guillen" bill, would explicitly list sexual harassment as a crime in military law, require the secretary of defense to establish a process for servicemembers to lodge a complaint confidentially and move the decision of whether to prosecute a sexual offense to an special prosecutor outside the chain of command. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Damon Phelps of the CID, the Army's primary criminal investigative organization, told reporters that Aguilar is the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier. The Law Did Not Treat Them Kindly. She said Army investigators rarely contacted the family before releasing information. 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. Military investigators said Guillen was bludgeoned with a hammer. During a news conference, Army Criminal Investigation Command Special Agent Damon Phelps named the now-deceased soldier as 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). Guillen never returned and the witness recalled locking up the armory for the day with her ID card, bank card, car keys and barracks key still left inside. ", Landy said Robinson acted "upset" that everybody kept "blowing up his phone.". "When Houston went on lockdown [for COVID-19], she was really frustrated because the gyms were closed. 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. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. However, Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt and Phelps on Thursday said there is still no evidence linking sexual harassment to Guillens disappearance. A Texas woman accused of helping mutilate and dispose of the body of a Fort Hood soldier who vanished this spring was charged Thursday, authorities said. Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, was charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Aaron Robinson. The League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation's oldest Latino civil rights organization that has been helping the Guillen family, added an additional $25,000 to the reward the following day. 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 Watch the full story on "20/20" TONIGHT at 9 p.m. Robinson, 20, also allegedly enlisted Aguilar who recognized Guillen to help him get rid of her body at a remote site in Bell County, near Fort Hood. The remains have been sent to a forensic anthropologist for analysis, though no official confirmation on the identity of the remains has been completed. Nothing. She never did anything to anybody to deserve what happened to her at all.". After Guillen left, Robinson finished his work and went to his off-post residence that he shared with Aguilar, he told Army CID agents during an April 28 interview. A lifetime, Gloria said. 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. Well, Vanessa was that (perfect) person. 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. At 6 p.m, Hightower says he went looking for her. LaBoeuf said he was "in Specialist Guillen's chain of command somebody that-- that had responsibility, a leadership role over Specialist Guillen. They said Robinson killed himself as officers moved in to arrest him late Tuesday night. "There was a lot of silence after that one. Robinson attacked Guillen with a hammer, Khawam alleges, citing information she says was provided to her by Army Criminal Investigation Command officials. "They said the whole room was painted in red, Khawam said. 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. The suspect was identified as Specialist Aaron David Robinson, 20, of Illinois who joined the Army in October 2017 as a combat engineer, officials said at a press conference. 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. ", Mayra Guillen said she "couldn't believe it.". A spokesperson for McCarthy confirmed to Breitbart News that he had not contacted the family: Yes thats correct. Vanessa Guillen. 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. Gregory Morales, right outside the post in Killeen last month. 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. McCarthy first tweeted about Guilln in late June two months after her disappearance, and after Guillns murder began gathering national awareness. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Aguilar helped authorities pinpoint his location so that he could be arrested. 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. "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. "We are still investigating their interactions, but at this point, there is no credible information of reports that Spc. 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. Earlier Thursday, Phelps said that Robinson died by suicide early Wednesday after fleeing Fort Hood the night before. Aaron David Robinson, 20, beat Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020 in Fort Hood, Texas. 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 said, 'Vanessa's been found,'" he remembered. 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. Guillen's Army friends weren't the only ones worried about her disappearance. "Sometimes we'll go run, like, 3 miles or a few miles. In the last year, her name has become a rallying cry for women's safety and military reform. Robinson harassed Spc. Aaron David Robinson, 20, who had allegedly walked in on Guillen while she was showering in a locker room and watched. "I knew something was wrong because I'd check her social media," Cruz said. Vanessa Guillen She needs to be brought to justice.. Investigators spoke to Robinson again and he let them search his phone. 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. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Looking at his phone records, investigators also found that Robinson had called Aguilar multiple times during the night after Vanessa Guillen went missing. IE 11 is not supported. I need to know every single step of this issue! She had told me since she was 10 years old that she was going to the Army, since she was 10 years old.. All While there, he was allowed to talk on his cell phone to Aguilar, who was with investigators and agreed to let them record the calls. This is the lawsuit. 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. Aguilar has been charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Aaron David Robinson, of Calumet City, Ill., beat Guillen, with a hammer and that her body was later dismembered and burned. 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. Fort Hood officials said that the human remains discovered recently have not been identified. KILLEEN, TEXASU.S. They then placed the remains back in the three holes with the concrete, the complaint alleged. Vanessa Guillen. ", 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. 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 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. Robinson called Aguilar several times throughout the night and the calls after midnight were for lengths greater than one minute., Aguilar later said in a second interview that she did leave her home and took a drive to a park in Belton, Texas to look at the stars.. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. She has pleaded not guilty to charges including tampering and being an accessory after the fact. Aguilar was interviewed on June 19. 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. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. ", 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.". 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 Investigators suspect a fellow soldier, Spc. We are going to love each other all our lives. She told investigators that she and Robinson were together the entire night on April 22. Guillen's loved ones say she had always been a fitness fanatic. Together, they dismembered the body using a hatchet and a machete-type knife, the complained alleged. They eventually identified the remains as missing Fort Hood soldier Gregory Morales, who'd gone missing in August 2019, almost a year prior. The findings of the committee identified major flaws with the sexual harassment and assault response prevention (SHARP) program at the base, fundamental issues with Fort Hood Criminal Investigation Command field office activities, and a command climate at Fort Hood that was permissive of sexual harassment and sexual assault. HOUSTON -- Vanessa Guillen will forever be 20 years old, engaged but will never be married. Authorities have said that Spc. Vanessa Guillen was a private first class, so he technically ranked above her, though she was about to also become a specialist. Later that night, Army investigators questioned Aguilar, they say she admitted that Robinson had told her he killed Vanessa Guillen and that she saw her remains in the tough box that he had carted out of the arms room, where he told her he killed Guillen. The Secretary of the Army at the time of Vanessa Guillen's disappearance, Ryan McCarthy, created an independent review panel, including investigators, lawyers and retired FBI agents, to look at the command climate at Fort Hood. Many of the details of how investigators say Guillen was killed and dismembered were first reported by Army Times on Thursday. Ghislaine Maxwell ordered held without bail on child sex-t Dad of crying infant that triggered Texas massacre 'never thought' gunman would shoot, Georgia player under fire after racist remark during 2023 NFL Draft on livestream, Megyn Kelly sports red MAGA-style hat in poolside pic, Gayle King says she doesnt have a desire to retire: I want more work, WNBA star Brittney Griner is heading to the Met Gala, Mariah Carey celebrates Moroccan and Monroes 12th birthday: My babies, NY Post Sports Reporter Zach Braziller breaks down the Knicks game 1 loss to the Heat, Elon Musk Tells Bill Maher Woke Mind Virus Is Dangerous On Real Time, Kendall Jenner rocks sheer top, fur mini skirt for date night with Bad Bunny.