The family does not accept the Armys explanation for a motive. Robinson, who had been in the Army since 2017, worked in the same Regimental Engineer Squadron as Guillen. 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. And there was none," Martin said. A burn pit was found with disturbed earth. "We been knowing since when it first happened because nothing makes sense. That's below him? He later picked Aguilar up at a gas station where she worked and brought her to the bridge along the Leon River. Aaron David Robinson, 20, died by suicide when authorities made contact with him, according to the Army. I see her murals and I say to myself, 'Damn, this is reality. The only sad part was that they were protecting the identities and names of the perpetrators," Khawam said. "She told me, 'I love you. Company, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at the time Guillen, a fellow 3rd Cavalry soldier, disappeared April 22. Her fianc Juan Cruz, who proposed to her in March 2020, said that she had remarkable strength -- so much so that she could carry him on her shoulders. The Guillen family sought help from attorney Natalie Khawam, who has experience with cases involving the military. "She didn't deserve any of that. 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. 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. However, Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt and Phelps on Thursday said there is still no evidence linking sexual harassment to Guillens disappearance. Phelps said hundreds of acquaintances and friends were interviewed and there is no allegation whatsoever that shes been sexually assaulted or harassed and any hint of information that was sexual harassment was completely looked at without any credible information.. Vanessa Guillen of Fort Hood was going to be a bride. Immediately, Vanessas dad said, Thats not something Vanessa would do, Khawam said. I Am Vanessa Guillen: Everything You Need to Know - Netflix Vanessa Guillen. The calls went as late as 3:30 a.m. the next morning and continued the next day. He was questioned within two days of the criminal investigationHe was questioned very early on in this process.". Meanwhile, Cruz and Vanessa's sisters were desperately trying to spread word of her disappearance on their own. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Now, the Guillen family is planning for a funeral this month. Those claims even sparked a viral hashtag called #IamVanessaGuillen on social media, which many soldiers have used to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault on military installations. And they were just trying to see my reaction.". That's [what] we want to have that answered as well. The team also is charged with identifying any potentially systemic issues with the SHARP program at Fort Hood, as well as any resource constraints.. She taught me many things because she was always tender, she was loving to me and we always loved each other. "I said, 'Vanessa's been found,'" he remembered. Aguilar's lawyers have filed a motion to throw out the entire case and another motion to suppress the statements officers say she made. 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. Aaron David Robinson was a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier who trained as a 12B, Combat Engineer. Robinson was confined to his barracks around the time of the discovery, but he fled and died by suicide, authorities said. The two suspects returned to the site with hairnets and gloves on April 26, according to cell phone records. Robinson harassed Spc. When they spoke to Aguilar, investigators said she claimed he was calling that night because she couldn't find her phone. We were kind of aware [of] what was going on," Landy said. 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. . SEE RELATED STORY: Army officials reveal new details in Vanessa Guillen went there to confirm serial numbers for weapons. 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). 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. Unidentifed remains believed by family members to be those of Guillen were recovered this week along the Leon River and are undergoing forensic testing. Fort Hood officials suspected foul play in the disappearances of both Morales and Guillen, but said they did not believe they were linked. Born and raised in Houston to immigrants from Mexico, Guillen was one of six children. Robinson that we didn't know about? Authorities said three soldiers accidentally gave Robinson an alibi, leading investigators away from the real killer. Aaron David Robinson, another soldier at Fort Hood, allegedly attacked Guillen, per the Guillen family attorney. Aaron David Robinson, of Calumet City, Ill., admitted early last week during a phone call to Aguilar, as an investigator listened in, that he killed Guillen. "They said the whole room was painted in red, Khawam said. The Guillen family said Vanessa told other soldiers at Fort Hood that she was being sexually harassed. At a news conference Thursday, the Army identified the soldier suspected in Guillens disappearance as Aaron David Robinson. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. She was reported missing in April but her remains were not found until July. However, he declined to release the womans name. Just why?" "But, I guess, apparently I'm kind of funny sometimes, and she'd crack up all the time. Gloria said she believes her prayers healed Vanessa. 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. Phelps on Thursday said, as reported previously, that Guillens identification card, wallet and the keys to her car and post apartment were later found in the armoury room where she had been earlier in the day. We are going to love each other all our lives. "I asked, 'Have you seen Guillen?' She said Army investigators rarely contacted the family before releasing information. Aaron David Robinson, who was assigned to A. Tim Stelloh is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Soldiers were tasked with watching Robinson in shifts. On June 15, the Army raised the reward to $25,000 for anyone with information leading up to Guillen's whereabouts. As an infant, Vanessa wasintubated,clinging to life at a hospital. The announcement comes a day after Natalie Khawam, attorney for the Guillen family, said they believe that the remains found in Bell County are Guillen's. She has pleaded not guilty to charges. Committee votes on major defense policy bill expected in May, Military families share workout with first lady Jill Biden, US conducts first evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war, Ukrainian drones strike Crimea oil depot, Russian official says, Army identifies 3 soldiers killed in Alaska helicopter crash, Understanding the role of artificial intelligence, Mark Kitz keynote speech at the C4ISRNET conference, The latest on software, data and artificial intelligence, Army grounds helicopter fleet for force-wide safety stand down, Army fielding new tactical feedback tool with fitness program features, Former NFLer, Ranger draws comparisons between NFL, military training, Three dead after two Apache helicopters collide in Alaska. 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.. Why? suspected foul play related to her disappearance, Lawyer of missing Texas soldier's family: 'We believe her remains were found', was last seen at a parking lot in Fort Hood, her car keys, barracks room key, identification card and wallet, added an additional $25,000 to the reward, inquiry looking into allegations that Guillen was sexually harassed, Sister of missing Texas solider speaks about meeting military suspect, Sexual assault in the U.S. military has increased. 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. Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, was charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. 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. Robinson's estranged wife has been arrested for her alleged involvement in the case. "We were interviewing other people in the unit as well to find out, was there a relationship between Vanessa and Spc. Investigators brought a cadaver dog, which signaled that a body might have been thrown in the water. They did not confirm details cited by Khawam about where specifically remains were found and what condition they were in. "I got a call from CID on June 30th," Mayra Guillen said. Reports of suicide are Authorities on Thursday said 20-year-old Spc. He remembered helping her with weightlifting and she helped him work on squats and deadlifts. Im her family! She is currently in custody awaiting her first court appearance. July 2, 2020 / 10:25 PM The Guillens pleas for help spread nationally after #IAmVanessaGuillen went viral on social media this month. She attended her first Army training in June 2018 and was later stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, making the three hour drive back to Houston every weekend to see her family. If convicted, Aguilar faces up to 20 years in federal prison. I need to know every single step of this issue! 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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. And if he did not sexually harass her, let's just play that part, well then why the heck would he bludgeon her to death? They just kept trying to pin it on me or Landy," Hightower said. EMBED <> More Videos Soldiers can and have gone missing, and it can take a while to find them, even when foul play is not suspected. Cecily Aguilar, 22, a civilian, told investigators Robinson asked her to help hide a body. Lupe Guilllen, 16, Vanessas sister, said the fight is not over until the Army stops telling lies and gives the family answers. 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. 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. Robinson harassed her.". Ryan "Cj" Landy, a fellow soldier in her unit, told "20/20" that he and Guillen became friends "immediately" after she arrived. Cruz said he thinks often about his late fiance. 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. But justice will be done in the name of Jesus and Holy Mary. 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. What did Aaron David Robinson do? Because Im family! The family has maintained that Guillen was sexually harassed by superiors at Fort Hood. 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. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. The family called the movement the #MeToo of the military. Robinson was a suspect in Guillen's disappearance, but he "was not involved" in the separate investigation looking into the sexual harassment allegations, said Phelps. She added that McCarthy has scheduled a press conference for Thursday with media at Fort Hood, Texas, but has not even contacted the Guilln family to let them know it was happening. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. ", 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. She reports, writes and produces stories for NBC Latino and NBCNews.com. Army investigators provided the family with time stamps of when Robinson checked in and out of the armory roomApril 22, the day Guillen was last seen, and when Guillen texted Robinson to let him know she was outside and needed to be let into the building. They later burned the clothes they were wearing during the process at their home. Although he has always been open to meet with the Guilln family. Guillen's Army friends weren't the only ones worried about her disappearance. Jessica Priest is an investigative reporter for USA TODAY, reach her at jpriest@gatehousemedia.com. Officials would also not say whether Guillens supervisors tried to check in with her at any point during the day after she was suspected to have been abducted. She said she hoped publicizing such questions would push the Army to answer the familys pleas for transparency. Phelps said the Army has no credible information or reports that Guillen was sexually assaulted. A guard gave chase but Robinson was able to get into a car and leave the base. Watch the full story on "20/20" TONIGHT at 9 p.m. A criminal complaint filed against Aguilar accuses her of tampering with evidence, including Guillens body, on April 23 and 26 to impair its integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding., Though the family believes Robinson killed Guillenand the allegations that Aguilar helped bury her remains, Khawam said, the story of how Robinson killed Guillen, moved her body and cleaned up the crime scene all while on a military post without an accomplice or being found out sooner does not make sense.. Robinson texted Aguilar pictures of news articles that reported about how law enforcement had found human remains near the Leon River, later saying over the phone, baby they found pieces, they found pieces, the complaint reads. Aguilar helped authorities pinpoint his location so that he could be arrested. You know how they say no one is perfect? Lupe asked. Aguilar was interviewed on June 19. You know how frustrating it was for me to not be there? Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. At around 10 p.m., he was heard talking on the phone, apparently to his mother, saying "don't believe what you hear about me." Then, he raced out of the room. She was caring and respectful and always used to joke about everything. A Fort Hood soldier who authorities identified earlier Thursday as another suspect in Guillen's disappearance, E-4 Specialist Aaron David Robinson, allegedly told Aguilar that he killed a female soldier after hitting her in the head with a hammer, according to officials. Because they are alive, and my girl is not. They said Robinson killed himself as officers moved in to arrest him late Tuesday night. He was originally from Calumet City, Illinois. We keep demanding a congressional investigation! Vanessa Guillen. Tracking CA's reservoir levels, snowpack map, drought status, How safe is your neighborhood? It's her last known communication. "The plan was to go hiking whenever she got off work," he said. The repeated calls from Robinson were because she could not find her phone and he was calling to help her locate the device, she told investigators. A lifetime, Gloria said. Goodnight,'" he said. Phelps would not comment on the allegations made by Khawam that Robinson murdered her because it is still an ongoing investigation. 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. "We are still investigating their interactions, but at this point, there is no credible information of reports that Spc. 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. Investigators quickly determined that the remains were too old to be Guillen's. Where is it? Robinson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when approached by law enforcement on Tuesday, according to Killeen police. Aguilar was charged in federal court with conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Robinson and Aguilar uncovered the remains, removed them and burned them again along with their gloves and hairnets. Im troubled by his lack of compassion to the family and sincerity about meeting with the family, she said. When Gloria Guillen spoke publicly to the media about her daughter's sexual harassment, the case exploded onto the national news scene. She hadn't been responding to texts or calls from family, either, and as day turned to night, Cruz and Vanessa's sister, Mayra Guillen, drove to Fort Hood. 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. The hashtag became a platform where service members shared their own accounts of sexual harassment and assault. The family of #VanessaGuillen filed a lawsuit yesterday, seeking $35M from the U.S. government. 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. 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. "It was so many rumors, we didn't know what to believe," Hightower said. 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Once Guillen was dead, Robinson then allegedly contacted his married girlfriend to help him bury her bloody body, Khawam said, according to the outlet. And that's what the criminal investigation is seeking answers to as well.". Vanessa Guillen, who has been missing from the Texas post since April. Army investigators have said theres no evidence Robinson harassed her. 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. Aaron David Robinson, 20, who had allegedly walked in on Guillen while she was showering in a locker room and watched. We believe Robinson could have made up that story to Aguilar because he needed help burying her body, Khawam said. "We got harassed. The family was aware of the sexual harassment that Vanessa faced at Fort Hood. Khawam earlier this week said a man at Fort Hood had walked in on Guillen while she was showering naked. More:Civilian searcher says Army overlooked evidence after Vanessa Guillen's death. Aaron David Robinson. Army officials said on Tuesday that they found partial human remains near the Leon River about 30 miles outside Fort Hood. She would be like, 'Let me carry you so I can do squats,'" said Cruz. "That entrance leads to [the] 3rd Calvary Regiment," Lupe Guillen 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. The Armys account of how Guillen died remains riddled with holes that investigators refuse to clarify, said the familys attorney Natalie Khawam. Investigators discovered human remains which had been buried and covered in concrete. Contractors discovered the remains near the Leon River on June 30, 2020, authorities said. Meanwhile, Natalie Khawam, an attorney for the Guillen family claimed to the Army Times in a report published Thursday that Guillen was killed by Robinson while she was on duty in the armory room at Fort Hood. Khawam said Guillen reported her harassment to her family and fellow soldiers at the base. The Army's Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Forces Command.Maj. She disappeared in April. Robinson and his girlfriend allegedly tried to destroy and conceal Guillens body, according to the attorney. It's a nightmare," Cruz said. Emailus. McCarthy first tweeted about Guilln in late June two months after her disappearance, and after Guillns murder began gathering national awareness. The Calumet City native entered the Army in October 2017 and was a combat engineer.
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