Vanessa Guillen missing: Suspect takes his own life; civilian arrested in connection to missing Fort Hood soldier
06/30/2020 4:23 pm PDT
UPDATE July 6, 2020:
Cecily Aguilar, charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence last week in the disappearance and death of U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood, appeared virtually at 11 a.m. in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey C. Manske, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
The hearing was an initial appearance. An arraignment, where Aguilar would be expected to enter a plea, has not been scheduled yet, officials said.
Last week Army investigators identified the body of Vanessa Guillén, family attorney Natalie Khawam told The Associated Press.
MORE:
UPDATE July 3, 2020:
Officials released photos Thursday of two suspects: 20-year-old Spc. Aaron David Robinson of Illinois, and Cecily Aguilar, a 22-year-old Killeen, Texas resident. Aguilar was held without bond at the Bell County Jail.
Aguilar is accused of helped Robinson mutilate and dispose of Guillen's body, federal authorities say.
MORE:
UPDATE July 2, 2020:
The Army Times reports Vanessa Guillen was allegedly killed on April 22, the day of her disappearance, by Spc. Aaron David Robinson while she was on duty in an armory room on Fort Hood, Texas, an attorney for the Guillen family said.
Natalie Khawam, the attorney, said the information was provided to her during a four-hour meeting with officials from Army Criminal Investigation Command.
Robinson, 20, allegedly attacked Guillen with a hammer, Khawam told Army Times.
After Guillen was dead, Robinson allegedly contacted his married girlfriend “to help him bury her bloody body,” Khawam said. “At first they tried to set her on fire, but she wouldn't burn. Then they dismembered this beautiful U.S. soldier's body with a machete.”
MORE:
An investigator with the U.S. Army said in a Thursday afternoon news conference that there are “no credible reports” that Spc. Vanessa Guillen was sexually harassed or assaulted before her disappearance in April despite her family's claims, KXAN-TV reports.
Investigators also said remains found this week have still not been identified.
Investigators identified one of the suspects in Guillen's disappearance as Spc. Aaron David Robinson, 20. They said he shot and killed himself Wednesday in Killeen after he fled his post Tuesday.
Investigators did not release the name of a a second suspect, a woman who is the estranged wife of a former soldier, who remains in jail awaiting formal changes.
Also, the Army said that Guillen was promoted from Private First Class to Specialist, effective Wednesday, KPRC reports.
MORE:
UPDATE July 1, 2020:
KXAN-TV reports a suspect in the disappearance of soldier Vanessa Guillen killed himself early Wednesday morning after fleeing Fort Hood, the base said.
In a press conference Wednesday, Guillen's family said that unidentified human remains found in Bell County on Tuesday are believed to be the missing 20-year-old soldier.
Fort Hood confirmed Wednesday that the man who died was a military suspect. Additionally, the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood solider has been arrested in connection with Guillen's disappearance, Fort Hood said.
KWKT reports multiple agencies were attempting to locate the junior soldier from Fort Hood who fled the post late yesterday. Officers reportedly attempted to make contact with the suspect while he was walking, and the suspect reportedly displayed a weapon and took his own life.
The Austin American-Statesman reports Guillen family attorney Natalie Khawam said the man who killed himself early Wednesday was the subject of a Fort Hood criminal investigation by the U.S. Army. Guillen had accused him of walking in on her while she showered, according to the family and attorney. Guillen had also accused the man and others in additional incidents of sexual harassment.
MORE:
June 30, 2020:
BELL COUNTY, Texas (KWKT) -- Partial human remains have been discovered in the ongoing search for Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, according to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The CID sent out a release Tuesday saying that due to extensive investigative work conducted by special agents, they returned to an area of interest close to the Leon River in Bell County for more investigative work in the search for Guillen.
After the CID received additional information, agents discovered what has been described as “partial human remains” after an analysis from a forensic anthropologist.
KWTX reports a resident smelled an unusual odor in the area Tuesday and called the Bell County Sheriff's Office, which found the remains in a shallow grave.
“No confirmation as to the identity of the remains has been made at this point and we ask for the media and public's understanding that the identification process can take time,” CID Chief of Public Affairs Chris Grey said in a statement Tuesday.
Guillen was last seen sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on April 22 in the parking lot of her 3rd Cavalry Regiment Engineer Squadron Headquarters at Fort Hood, Texas.
MORE:
