The family of a slain U.S. Army soldier is suing the Department of the Army, saying authorities failed to protect her from her killer. 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. Trump said he would help her family with funeral expenses and directed the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate what happened to Guillen. Army officials said on Tuesday that they found partial human remains near the Leon River about 30 miles outside Fort Hood. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. The remains have been sent to a forensic anthropologist for analysis, though no official confirmation on the identity of the remains has been completed. 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. 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. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. The last time she texted me was that morning, and she just sent a screenshot with the weather. Special Agent Damon Phelps with the U.S. army Criminal Investigation Command on Thursday said a second suspect also was arrested this week. On the other hand, murals aren't made for just anyone. After two days, the Army officially marked Vanessa Guillen as AWOL, or absent without official leave. "I called [Robinson], and he was acting like he just woke up," Hightower said. He was originally from Calumet City, Illinois. 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. 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. 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.. Aaron David Robinson was a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier who trained as a 12B, Combat Engineer. Did my girl have to die? Lupe Guillen, the sister of Spc. Her family is still looking for answers as to why she was killed, and how her murderer escaped justice. Agents once again searched the area and found scattered remains that appeared to have been placed into concrete and buried. 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. They attempted to burn the body, before placing the remains in three separate holes. "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? "The murderer sexually harassed her and then killed her," the Whistleblower Law Firm attorney, told Military.com in a statement. 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. All IE 11 is not supported. Investigators said Aguilar backed up his alibi. In the calls, Robinson didn't deny anything. The motive for the alleged murder was not described in the complaint. What did Aaron David Robinson do? The calls went as late as 3:30 a.m. the next morning and continued the next day. She never deployed overseas but was awarded the Army Commendation Medal (posthumously), the National Defense Service Ribbonand the Army Service Ribbon. ", 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. Aguilar was charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence. She got a second call from Miller, who helped in the search. She says she has only heard from President Trump.#JusticeForVanessaGuillen pic.twitter.com/rEr9XFA2mB. ", Hightower told Landy that Vanessa was missing. It's her last known communication. Aaron David Robinson, 20, beat Guillen to death with a hammer on April 22, 2020 in Fort Hood, Texas. Authorities have said that Spc. In addition to finding remains at the Leon River, officials also recovered the remains of another Fort Hood soldier, Pvt. "It's one of the biggest military reforms in history," Vanessa Guillen's other sister, Lupe Guillen, said. 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. Vanessa Guillen was a private first class, so he technically ranked above her, though she was about to also become a specialist. Who doesnt fight?. "Memories never die," he said. 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. 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. 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. She has pleaded not guilty to charges including tampering and being an accessory after the fact. Aguilar purchased a bag of what she referred to as concrete from someone through Facebook messenger. Meanwhile, Cruz and Vanessa's sisters were desperately trying to spread word of her disappearance on their own. At first they tried to set her on fire, but she wouldnt burn, Khawam told Army Times. He remembered helping her with weightlifting and she helped him work on squats and deadlifts. This pretty much gave an instant alibi to the suspect. "But, I guess, apparently I'm kind of funny sometimes, and she'd crack up all the time. Aaron David Robinson, 20, who had allegedly walked in on Guillen while she was showering in a locker room and watched. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of Vanessa Guillen's murder, the Army dedicated a gate to her memory at Fort Hood. Now, the Guillen family is planning for a funeral this month. 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. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Officials also said Thursday that there is a second suspect in connection to the case and that suspect is the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier who is currently in custody at Bell county Jail awaiting charges by civil authorities.. At 10:23 a.m., Guillen sent a text message confirming the serial number of a machine gun. And they were just trying to see my reaction.". 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. First published on July 2, 2020 / 10:25 PM. [emailprotected]. 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. Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old Army Specialist, was identified as the person of interest in Guillen's case. We drove the route she [would] usually run up the road on base which was 2 miles away from the barracks. The Guillen family sought help from attorney Natalie Khawam, who has experience with cases involving the military. / CBS Chicago. Have I ever liked her? 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. HOUSTON -- Vanessa Guillen will forever be 20 years old, engaged but will never be married. "I didn't wanna think the worst, but [I was experiencing] a lotta panic.". "I said, 'Vanessa's been found,'" he remembered. Investigators spoke with Robinson, who said that Vanessa Guillen had left his arms room after completing a task. But it was not so much for harassment; it was for harassment, but there is something more, she continued. You know how they say no one is perfect? Lupe asked. Aaron David Robinson, 20, died by suicide Wednesday morning as investigators were closing in. How would Robinson be able to commit the perfect murder in 43 minutes? Fort Hood officials suspected foul play in the disappearances of both Morales and Guillen, but said they did not believe they were linked. Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. And that's exactly what the criminal investigation is about," LaBoeuf said. During a news conference, Army Criminal Investigation Command Special Agent Damon Phelps named the now-deceased soldier as Spc. Phelps would not comment on the allegations made by Khawam that Robinson murdered her because it is still an ongoing investigation. She reports, writes and produces stories for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com. ", Maj. Gen. Gene LeBoeuf, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Forces Command, however, insisted that "Specialist Robinson was a person of interest early on in the investigation. And she said no. 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 She has pleaded not guilty to charges. 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. Robinson died by suicide "She had suspected it was gonna be a half-day. We are going to love each other all our lives. Then they dismembered this beautiful U.S. soldiers body with a machete. Investigators discovered human remains which had been buried and covered in concrete. 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. . Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, an Iraq War veteran, is the Democratic lead sponsor. A guard gave chase but Robinson was able to get into a car and leave the base. ET on ABC. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has yet to personally call and offer condolences to the family of Spc. He said 11 have been removed from their positions permanently, and all 21 have "black marks" on their records "that will stay with them." "I knew something was wrong because I'd check her social media," Cruz said. Many of the details of how investigators say Guillen was killed and dismembered were first reported by Army Times on Thursday. (Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP). ", Betavious "Tay" Hightower was another one of Guillen's "closest friends," he said. 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. He didnt leave for the rest of the night, except to use a government computer to enroll in training, according to this account. 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. Have a tip or story idea? Secretary of the Army where is it? she said. Vanessa Guillen, said she has not heard from Governor Abbott or the Secretary of the Army following the death of her sister. A lifetime, Gloria said. Aguilar helped law enforcement locate Robinson in the city of Killeen. ", Landy said Robinson acted "upset" that everybody kept "blowing up his phone.". Robinson and Aguilar uncovered the remains, removed them and burned them again along with their gloves and hairnets. 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. 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. LaBoeuf said he was "in Specialist Guillen's chain of command somebody that-- that had responsibility, a leadership role over Specialist Guillen. "Our agents are working very closely with the Armed Forces Medical Examiner to expedite identification of the remains," Phelps said. Burned remains of a plastic tote or tough box were found in an area where Robinsons phone pinged. 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. Aaron David Robinson, beat Guillen to death with a hammer the morning of April 22. Vanessa Guillens body along the Leon River, about 30 miles from Fort Hood, after she was killed on April 22, the complaint alleged. Im her family! Please enter valid email address to continue. 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. 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. "[Robinson] was like, 'Oh, I kept it professional; didn't say too much to her.' "Can you try to investigate even further as to why this was committed? Vanessa's mother Gloria Guillen said that her daughter had confided in her that she was being sexually harassed at Fort Hood but that she didn't report it due to fear of retribution and retaliation.
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