And that's probably what happened to her.' Aguilar was interviewed on June 19. Guillen's family said she planned to file a harassment complaint against Robinson, said Robinson became enraged when she told him and killed her a day before she planned to do it. Aguilar was charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The Armymaintained that it found no substantial evidence that Robinson was sexually harassing Guillen. Morales, a 24-year-old who also used the last name Wedel before his marriage, was last heard from on Aug. 20, 2019. At a news conference Thursday, the Army identified the soldier suspected in Guillens disappearance as Aaron David Robinson. Robinson that we didn't know about? 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 "The murderer sexually harassed her and then killed her," the Whistleblower Law Firm attorney, told Military.com in a statement. His death is still under investigation. 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.. To order No one else is family for Vanessa! 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 identification of the human remains recovered is still pending. "There was a lot of silence after that one. Robinson harassed Spc. As a matter of policy, the Army does not comment on ongoing litigation, U.S. Army spokesman Sgt. Contractors discovered the remains near the Leon River on June 30, 2020, authorities said. No attorney for Aguilar was listed on the court filings. Aaron David Robinson was a 20-year-old soldier from Calumet City, Illinois. "Our agents are working very closely with the Armed Forces Medical Examiner to expedite identification of the remains," Phelps said. 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. Emailus. Investigators previously had said they suspected foul play related to her disappearance. A Killeen, Texas, woman assisted her soldier boyfriend in disposing of a missing soldiers body after he killed her with a hammer inside an armory on Fort Hood, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Western District Court of Texas. I would truly wish to have her here than any of this, but this is where we are today.. 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. Fort Hood soldier slain, dismembered on post, family attorney says She got a second call from Miller, who helped in the search. 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 #IAmVanessaGuillen hashtag made its way to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. Then they dismembered this beautiful U.S. soldiers body with a machete. They attempted to burn the body, before placing the remains in three separate holes. 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. The witnesses watched him load the box into his vehicle and drive away. The family of #VanessaGuillen filed a lawsuit yesterday, seeking $35M from the U.S. government. 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. Army investigators have said theres no evidence Robinson harassed her. Robinson, who was supposed to be confined to a barracks room on Fort Hood, secretly left post on the night of June 30. In addition to finding remains at the Leon River, officials also recovered the remains of another Fort Hood soldier, Pvt. 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.. Investigators spoke to over 300 soldiers in Vanessa Guillen's unit, including Hightower. 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. Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. She needs to be brought to justice.. Khawam said she was told a third suspect was detained. Aaron Robinson "She told me, 'I love you. ", Landy said Robinson acted "upset" that everybody kept "blowing up his phone.". 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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.. Khawam earlier this week said a man at Fort Hood had walked in on Guillen while she was showering naked. Who doesnt fight?. Nearly 40,000 infantrymen, cavalrymen, tankers, engineers, mechanics and health care professionals work at Fort Hood, which is nicknamed Great Place.. 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. A burn pit was found with disturbed earth. 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. The Army said Wednesday they promoted Private First Class Guillen, 20, to specialist due to her time in service. He joined the Army in October 2017, training as a 12B, Combat Engineer. We drove the route she [would] usually run up the road on base which was 2 miles away from the barracks. Vanessa Guillen. State documents reveal potential motive for Vanessa Guillen murder 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. And it's like we could have did something, but we didn't know.". She had told me since she was 10 years old that she was going to the Army, since she was 10 years old.. Cruz saw the woman he planned to marry for the last time on April 19, 2020, three days before she went missing. Suspect in Vanessa Guillen disappearance identified Aguilars phone was also tracked and revealed she was near the Leon River with Robinson on April 23 and 26. Ryan "Cj" Landy, a fellow soldier in her unit, told "20/20" that he and Guillen became friends "immediately" after she arrived. 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 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. Watch the Guillen familys news conference below, courtesy of CBS Dallas-Fort Worth. Robinson allegedly killed Guillen with a hammer in the army base's armory in April 2020. 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. 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. 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. Partial remains were found in Bell County earlier this week but have not been formally identified as Guillen, prosecutors said. 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. Unidentifed remains believed by family members to be those of Guillen were recovered this week along the Leon River and are undergoing forensic testing. 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. Loved ones of Spc. Landy said that because Robinson was the last person to be seen with her, a superior asked Robinson "in front of everybody" about their last interaction. "We been knowing since when it first happened because nothing makes sense. The family has called repeatedly for a congressional investigation, not an Army-directed investigation, however. / CBS Chicago. 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. Killeen Police have body camera video and dashcam video from the incident but none of it has been released. 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. Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. Robinsons fatal shooting took place in the 4700 block of East Rancier Avenue in I prayed to God so much, Gloria said. Soldier Suspected in Vanessa Guillen's Disappearance Identified She has pleaded not guilty to charges including tampering and being an accessory after the fact. Goodnight,'" he said. She said she begged her daughter to tell her what was wrong. The motive for the alleged murder was not described in the complaint. "That entrance leads to [the] 3rd Calvary Regiment," Lupe Guillen said. 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. 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). 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. believe that the remains found in Bell County are Guillen's. So, I feel like they should've came to that conclusion way earlier than they had. How would Robinson be able to commit the perfect murder in 43 minutes? During a news conference, Army Criminal Investigation Command Special Agent Damon Phelps named the now-deceased soldier as Spc. "We are still investigating their interactions, but at this point, there is no credible information of reports that Spc. The Armys account of how Guillen died remains riddled with holes that investigators refuse to clarify, said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. Tracking CA's reservoir levels, snowpack map, drought status, How safe is your neighborhood? Or to keep it anonymous, click here. She was reported missing in April but her remains were not found until July. "I was like, 'Man, I hopefully [will] see a tweet or something. However, no remain were located.. To order copies of Aaron David Robinson, who was assigned to A. Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old Army Specialist, was identified as the person of interest in Guillen's case. She says she has only heard from President Trump.#JusticeForVanessaGuillen pic.twitter.com/rEr9XFA2mB. Lupe Guilllen, 16, Vanessas sister, said the fight is not over until the Army stops telling lies and gives the family answers. Investigators said Aguilar backed up his alibi. And that's exactly what the criminal investigation is about," LaBoeuf said. Suspect Named, New Details Released in Case of Missing Soldier It's a nightmare," Cruz said. KILLEEN, TEXASU.S. HOUSTON -- Vanessa Guillen will forever be 20 years old, engaged but will never be married. Its impossible.. Fort Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen's family obtains Gen. Gene LeBoeuf told "20/20" in an exclusive interview that there were several factors that threw off the investigation in its early stages. KILLEEN, Texas (CBS) -- A Calumet City soldier was the main suspect in the murder of fellow soldier Vanessa Guillen, CBS 2 has learned. SEE RELATED STORY: Army officials reveal new details in Vanessa "As close of friends as we were, she came to us about a lot of different stuff. Aaron Robinson. He was scheduled to be discharged from the Army within a couple of days of his disappearance, Fort Hood officials have said. 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. 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. What did Aaron David Robinson do? 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 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. This statement, however, is inconsistent with the lengths of the calls, the complaint reads. Civilian charged in plot to dismember and hide remains of Fort Hood At first they tried to set her on fire, but she wouldnt burn, Khawam told Army Times. Meanwhile, Cruz and Vanessa's sisters were desperately trying to spread word of her disappearance on their own. Guillens family, joined by friends and strangers in the Killeen community, worked tirelessly to demand justice and a thorough search for the missing soldier. "I was astonished that they had so much information and details. Aaron David Robinson, 20, beat Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020 in Fort Hood, Texas. And this time they didn't tell me, 'It's not her.'" They arrived after midnight and Mayra says they were told by the staff sergeant to come back in the morning. African American combat engineer, Aaron Robinson, went missing from his Fort Hood post on June 30. US Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) reported that Robinson commited suicide "As officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, the suspect displayed a weapon and discharged it toward himself. 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. 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. 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. She is currently in custody awaiting her first court appearance. 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. Judge declines to silence family of slain Fort Hood soldier - KWTX And I just dropped my phone and it was just like everything came to an end," she said. When asked about why it took two hours to track him down, and how Robinson got a gun, LaBoeuf said "We want answers to that too. She said Army investigators rarely contacted the family before releasing information. This pretty much gave an instant alibi to the suspect. 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. "I didn't force her to do anything she didn't wanna do. Robinson was approached by law enforcement; however, he brandished a pistol and fired into his head, killing himself. Watch the full story on "20/20" TONIGHT at 9 p.m. But it wasn't too much I can do.". The last time she texted me was that morning, and she just sent a screenshot with the weather. 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. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Vanessa Guillen's murder, the Army dedicated a gate to her memory at Fort Hood. They did not confirm details cited by Khawam about where specifically remains were found and what condition they were in. IE 11 is not supported. Vanessa Guillen bludgeoned to death on Fort Hood base, family Her family is still looking for answers as to why she was killed, and how her murderer escaped justice. On April 30, 2021, the Army announced that it had found Guillen had been sexually harassed by a superior, but that superior was not Robinson. ", 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.". Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. A Fort Hood soldier who authorities identified earlier Thursday as another suspect in Guillen's disappearance, E-4 Specialist Aaron David Robinson, allegedly told They said Robinson killed himself as officers moved in to arrest him late Tuesday night. Guillen received a posthumous promotion from Private First Class to Specialist. She told investigators that she and Robinson were together the entire night on April 22. Every minute that passes is killing me inside, slowly.". "The way that he knew that it was Vanessa was because he described her hair to me. ", He added that the Army cannot release his name "for the matter of privacy" and is "part of the investigation and the process.". 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. U.S. army officials on Thursday would not say whether Robinson and the woman knew each other, citing an ongoing investigation. They then placed the remains back in the three holes with the concrete, the complaint alleged. Law enforcement officials attempted to make contact with Robinson, 20, on Tuesday in Killeen, Texas, but he displayed a weapon and took his own life, Phelps said during the news conference. In an April 28 interview, Robinson allegedly claimed that he went home after work on the 22nd to the residence he shared with Aguilar, his girlfriend. More:Civilian searcher says Army overlooked evidence after Vanessa Guillen's death. "The plan was to go hiking whenever she got off work," he said. ", Betavious "Tay" Hightower was another one of Guillen's "closest friends," he said. 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