Murder of Vanessa Guillen

**Vanessa Guillen** was a Native Latina-American woman. On April 22, 2020, she went missing from the Fort Hood army base, located in the state of Texas. She was later found dead not far from Fort Hood.

Ms. Guillen’s family believes that her disappearance is a result of crime because of previous instances where she said that she was being sexually harassed. They also believe that the US Army hasn’t sufficiently involved itself in solving her case.

On July 3, 2020, the main suspect in the case, another soldier named Aaron David Robinson, killed himself. Another suspect, Cecily Anne Aguilar, is in jail as of July 6, 2020. She was a white Hispanic female.

## Background

- **Vanessa Guillen** was born and raised in Houston, Texas, to Native Latin-American parents. She enlisted in the United States Army in 2018. Ms. Guillen subsequently informed her mother that she felt apprehension regarding her personal security while stationed at Fort Hood. She specifically cited that a sergeant was creating an uncomfortable and unsafe environment. According to her account, the alleged behaviors exhibited by this soldier included stalking and surveillance during private activities, such as showering.  Her mother offered to formally report the soldier responsible for causing her distress. However, Ms. Guillen expressed a desire to protect her mother from potential repercussions and stated that she would independently resolve the situation.
- **Aaron David Robinson** was identified as another soldier stationed at Fort Hood. Ms. Guillen had reportedly intended to file a formal report against Mr. Robinson for adultery, which is classified as a punishable offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
- **Cecily Anne Aguilar** was identified as the girlfriend of **Aaron David Robinson.**

### April

- **April 22:** Vanessa Guillen goes missing. She was last seen in a parking lot in Fort Hood. Guillen is killed with a hammer. The suspects, according to law enforcement, cut up and buried Guillen near the Leon River 30 miles (48 km) from Fort Hood.
- **April 23:** The Criminal Investigations Command (CID) of the US Army was notified that then PFC Guillén was reported missing.
- **April 24:** CID issues a missing soldier letter for Guillen Fort Hood Military Police issue a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) advisory to surrounding law enforcement agencies. Military personnel along with civilian and military police began a search.
- **April 26:** Aguilar and Robinson are believed to return according to cellphone data. They continue with the process of breaking down Guillen's body.
- **April 28:** CID interviews SPC Robinson for the first time.
- **April 30:** United States Secretary of the Army, Ryan D. McCarthy, makes the following statement in a press briefing: > Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to start out this morning by talking about a missing soldier, Private First Class Vanessa Guillen, in hopes of increasing the public's awareness and assistance in finding her. Private First Class Guillen went missing on 22 April from Ford Hood, Texas. In concert with local law enforcement efforts, the Army will continue aggressively searching for her. Our hearts go out to her family, and we will not stop looking for her until we find her.

### May

- **May 18:** Two witnesses are interviewed. They said they saw  SPC Robinson struggling with a "tough box" outside of the armory
- **May 19:** Robinson consents to a UFED extraction on his cell phone. This process involves going through the phone's memory in order to look for clues.

### June

- **June 19:** Aguilar is interviewed for the first time
- **June 21:** Cell phone data from Robinson and Aguilar leads law enforcement officials to a site near the Leon River. Law enforcement officials fail to find a body
- **June 30:** At about 1pm, contractors working on a fence near the Leon River discover human body parts and tell law enforcement. CID and partner agencies discover human body parts. At about 8:30PM, Aguilar was interviewed again and told law enforcement officials that SPC Robinson told her about killing a female soldier on Fort Hood. Aguilar makes a controlled call to Robinson. Robinson reported says "baby they found pieces" and texts Aguilar multiple news articles about the event. Robinson escapes confinement and kills himself when approached by police.

### July

- **July 2:** FBI formally submits a criminal complaint for Aguilar. Fort Hood and CID discuss Guillen investigation.
- **July 5:** Remains are confirmed to be Vanessa Guillen.

## Investigation

The family of Vanessa Guillen has **expressed profound dissatisfaction** with the ensuing investigation. They assert that the **United States Army has not allocated the necessary resources or attention** required for a **diligent inquiry** into Ms. Guillen's disappearance.

**Natalie Khawam**, the **legal counsel representing the Guillen family**, publicly **criticized the Army's handling of the matter**, specifically faulting the institution for **failing to implement sufficient measures to safeguard Ms. Guillen's personal security** prior to her disappearance.

## Reactions

There have been many protests demanding that Vanessa be found and brought back to her family. In addition, many celebrities and politicians are talking about Vanessa's case and how to reduce sexual harassment in the armed forces.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Vanessa Guillen
- **image**: Vanessa_Guillen_portrait.jpg
- **alt**: Portrait of Vanessa Guillen in uniform
- **birth place**: Houston, Texas
- **disappeared place**: Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas, United States
- **death place**: Fort Hood, Texas
- **death cause**: Murder
- **body discovered**: June 30, 2020
- **alma mater**: Cesar Chavez High School, Houston, Texas, United States
- **occupation**: Soldier
- **years active**: 2018-2020
- **organization**: United States Army
- **height**: 5 ft 3 in
- **mother**: Gloria Guillen
- **father**: Rogelio Guillen
- **family**: Mayra, Lupe (sisters)