Vanessa Guillen death: Calls to shut down Fort Hood grow as it's revealed she was bludgeoned to death with hammer
Vanessa Guillen's disappearance shook the entire nation and was followed by rampant search and a $50,000 prize for information leading to her whereabouts. In a new set of latest developments, it has been found that Guillen was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in the armory room where she worked, her family attorney Natalie Khawam said on Thursday. Guillen's body was transported from the military installation by her killer.
The 20-year-old private first class, stationed at US Fort Hood Army post in Killeen, Texas, went missing after she was last seen in the parking lot of the Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at around 1 pm on April 22, 2020. On July 1, the family publicly announced in a news conference that her likely remains were found in a shallow grave near the Army installation in Texas.
Aaron David Robinson, a 20-year-old Army Specialist from Illinois who entered the Army in October 2017, was identified as the main suspect. Khawam revealed that Guillen had planned to file a harassment complaint against Robinson and they believe he became enraged when she told him that. He killed himself on July 1 when the authorities tried to contact him, according to special agent Damon Phelps with the Army's Criminal Investigation Command.
Cecily Aguilar, 22, the estranged wife of a former soldier who was stationed at Fort Hood, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. According to investigators, Robinson told Aguilar that he killed a female soldier by striking her in the head with a hammer while on base on April 22. He also admitted to taking the body off the base to a remote site in Bell County.
A news release issued by the Department of Justice US Attorney's Office - Western District of Texas, "Subsequently, Robinson enlisted the help of Aguilar in disposing of the dead female's body." Aguilar reportedly told investigators she "recognized the deceased whom she helped Robinson mutilate and dispose of" as Guillen. Currently being held at the Bell County jail, Aguilar faces up to 20 years in prison and with a maximum $250,000 fine and her first court appearance will be in Waco.
The tragic twist has filled people on the Internet with rage and sorrow. Hashtags like #JusticeForVanessa, #ShutDownFH and #SHUTFORTHOODDOWN are trending as hundreds of people are calling for the Fort Hood Army base to shut down. "I couldn’t post her in that uniform. my heart is broken! I'm sick! Vanessa did not deserve this! sexual harassment/assault in the military should be taken more seriously! this happened ON BASE and should NOT have taken 2 months to figure out! #SHUTFORTHOODDOWN #VanessaGullien," one tweet read and another said, "Today protesters gathered at an Army recruitment office near Fort Hood, demanding justice for Vanessa Guillen. But this is just a start. We need to #ShutDownFH."
"This story really breaks my fucken heart #JusticeForVanessaGullien. that beautiful girl was BEATEN TO DEATH WITH A HAMMER and HAD HER BODY DISMEMBERED!!! there was blood all over the room she was killed in and fort hood covered it up and left the family in the dark. #ShutDownFH," one tweet read and another said, "#ShutDownFH sexual assault and murder in a place where people train to 'protect' us and our country should make everyone feel unsafe. Are these the kind of people you want protecting you and your loved ones?"
"The more I read about the Vanessa Guillen murder the more it makes me physically sick. I don’t care if your tl has moved on - you need to make noise about this. we’re trying to shut this shit down so help us!!! #ShutDownFH," one Twitter user urged.
Many others dug up similar past cases from the Fort Hood. "Krysta Martinez passed away from a “car accident” •she was stationed at Fort Hood Army Base •one of the first persons to help Vanessa's family •she filed a sexual harassment complaint I just don’t truly believe it was an accident," one tweet read. Another said, "The disgraced President of the US hasn't even spoken about! All the shit going on over there! SHUT IT DOWN!!! #VanessaGuillen #ShutDownFH."
"Read at your own risk. This woman died terribly. #ShutDownFH," said a tweet while another read, "We need to raise hell for Vanessa Guillen. this should not have EVER happened, she wanted to fight for this country and they let her die like that my heart is broken for her and her family. #ShutDownFH".
"YOU HEARD HER MOTHER. SHUT THIS SH*T DOWN. #ShutDownFH," tweeted a user while another post said, "#ShutDownFH DISGUSTING and heartbreaking to think #VanessaGullien was only killed bc spoke up about her sexual harassment. Just think about ALL THE PEOPLE who have been sexually assaulted/harassed that work in the military but was threatened into silence." Another added, "#SHUTDOWNFH Vanessa and the many other women on fort hood that have been sex trafficked, murdered, or gone missing deserve justice. this base needs to be SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY".