And now shes not with us. Just say the hashtag, #IamVanessaGuillen. A witness told investigators that Specialist Guillen left the arms room where she had been working and went to the arms room controlled by Specialist Robinson to confirm serial numbers for weapons and equipment, the complaint said. The gate is also the main entry point to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, where Guilln worked in an arms room as a small arms repairer. April 23 (UPI) -- Army Spc. For more on the string of violence at Fort Hood, subscribe now to PEOPLE or. In September 2021, a warrant officer named Anthony Rivera was charged with the murder of two toddlers he'd adopted, both of whom died of blunt force trauma. CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reported that Aton was standing in the roadway, directing traffic around the involved vehicles, when he was struck by a driver who did not see him in time to avoid him. Finding Sgt. Olivares girlfriend, Estrellita Hidalgo Falcon, 37, also of Killeen, is charged with hindering prosecution and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Authorities said a preliminary autopsy indicated his death, like that of Hernandezvargas, appeared to be from drowning. Morales skeletal remains were found June 19, days before Guillens body was found, in a field about four miles from the base. Chee, 25, died Aug. 30 after collapsing during a training exercise two days before, Army officials said. Last week, the base unveiled the People First Center, a training center for support and resources for victims of sexual assault or those experiencing suicidal thoughts. His skeletal remains were found June 19, 2020, in a Killeen field about four miles from the base, and authorities say foul play was involved in his death. The deadly collision occurred when, for unknown reasons, their car traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck another vehicle, authorities said. The family. When they began fighting, Roy opened fire. After the discovery, Vanessa Guillen's sister, Mayra Guillen told TIME . Hundreds of people gathered to honour Guilln and other victims of sexual violence and mistreatment within the military. In 2007, 20-year-old Specialist Kamisha Block deployed to Iraq with a military police unit from Fort Hood but was shot and killed just weeks later by Staff Sgt. Washington CNN The Army announced Tuesday that 14 senior officers will be punished following a probe that was initiated after the murder of a soldier and several other deaths at the Army's. [3] Upon hearing about the discovery, Robinson fled Fort Hood and fatally shot himself when law enforcement attempted to apprehend him in nearby Killeen, Texas. Specialist Hernandezvargas served his country honorably, both stateside while at Fort Hood and abroad in Korea and Romania, and this tragic loss is felt by every member within our formation.. Specialist Shelby Jones was a highly valued member of the Brave Rifles team, and his loss is profoundly felt by all of his friends and fellow troopers in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, regiment commander Col. Ralph Overland said. Fernandes, ensuring he was aware of all his reporting, care, and victim advocacy options., Fernandes had also been transferred to ensure he received the proper care and ensure there were no opportunities for reprisals.. Vanessa Guillen Army Pfc. !Guillen", "Killeen Woman Faces Federal Charge in Connection with the Disappearance of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen", "Reward for missing soldier Vanessa Guillen grows to over $50,000 after Latino group and rapper add to it", "Reward for missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen doubles to $50,000", "Hundreds rally to seek answers for missing soldier Pfc. The military failed him by not looking, Wedel told The Washington Post. They just assumed the worst and let it go., Gregory Morales Pv2 Gregory Wedel Morales, who was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, had been missing since Aug. 20, 2019. Our thoughts and our prayers are with Maxwell's family during this difficult time.". after an independent committee reviewed the CID detachment at Fort Hood, in Texas. He had been deployed in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from May 2018 to January 2019. It was ordered after the murder of Army Specialist . Investigators offered no motive for the murder, but concluded that Robinson did not sexually harass Guilln. Rosecrans entered the Army in May 2018 as a quartermaster and chemical equipment repairer, according to Fort Hood officials. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 12 Fort Hood soldiers who have vanished, died, or, in one case, turned up dead after going missing last year. Ms. Aguilar pleaded guilty on Nov. 29 to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of false statement or representation. Vanessa Guillen, 20, vanished April 22, 2020, from Fort Hood, where she was stationed and worked as a small arms and artillery repairer. When Specialist Guillen disappeared, Ms. Aguilar, 22 at the time, was living with Specialist Robinson, according to the complaint. Army enacts changes on sex assault response, investigations and more after Fort Hood scandal. Her mother, Gloria Guillen, said she had an interest in the military since childhood, when she would play with her brothers toy pistol. Delacruz, 23, of Vidalia, Georgia, was one of three people killed in a triple homicide March 14 in Killeen. Her death cast a harsh spotlight on the base and its culture, particularly for its handling of sexual assault and harassment, as she told her family that she had been harassed at the base. Hogan, of Campton, New Hampshire, entered the Army in June 2019 as a cavalry scout. An investigation is underway and police say foul play is not suspected. Police officials said the investigation determined that Rosecrans and Olivares were traveling together in the soldiers Jeep when Rosecrans was killed. Here are some of the tragic deaths that have plagued the base in recent months: Hogan, 19, and Peak Jr., 21, were both killed in a crash just north of Georgetown on Feb. 1, CBS Austin reported. [9] In early June, Guilln's mother told reporters she did not trust the Army's handling of the investigation and her attorney, Natalie Khawam,[17] said she believed the family was "being kept in the dark"[16] because few details had been released regarding the disappearance. Prosecutors announced a charge in the case on July 2, 2020, detailing accusations that Specialist Guillen was killed by another soldier who then tried to dispose of her remains. A future grand jury will decide whether a Fort Hood soldier will have an armed assault charge raised to a murder charge after police said he shot at another soldier, who later died, after the. His death is being investigated as a homicide. They used my sons phone after they killed him to ask his friends for money for gas, Berg said. His name was later added to the official list of Army deserters. Fernandes, Brautigam said in a statement. Morta, 26, of Pensacola, Florida, was found dead July 17 on Stillhouse Hollow Lake. Hernandezvargas, 24, drowned Aug. 2 in a boating accident at Stillhouse Hollow Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir located about 15 miles from Fort Hood. An entrance sign onto Fort Bragg, N.C., is shown in this 2007 photo. Mejhor brought honor, dignity and respect to our nation, Armstrong said at the memorial, according to the news station. A 26-year-old Fort Hood soldier was found dead Saturday behind his barracks, according to military officials. We believe that her remains were found. Killeen man sentenced to life in prison in murder case over 'weed . Fort Hood suspends commander of military police . In August of this year, Natalie Khawam, a lawyer for the Guillen family, filed a $35 million lawsuit against the United States Army for sexual assault and the wrongful death of Specialist Guillen, Ms. Khawam said. His selfless service and care for others are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Lightning Brigade and our Army, said Col. Ethan Hall, commander of the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. Olivares claimed the man had used his gun, a 9mm Ruger he said hed sold the unnamed person. No charges have been filed against the driver, the news station said. Original: Fernandes, 23, was last seen by fellow soldiers on Aug. 17 at a civilian home in Killeen, Texas. A new independent report details widespread, systemic problems at Fort Hood, Texas, including a culture that allows sexual assault in the ranks. US Army Spc. I was kind of ignored.. Elder Fernandes, 23, was last seen by fellow Fort Hood soldiers Aug. 17, 2020, at an off-base home in Killeen, Texas. [13] Guilln's mother advised her to report the matter, but she responded that "she could put a stop to it herself"[16] out of fear that her mother would be harmed for making a report. His body was found at the base of the dam, according to a news release from the Bell County Sheriffs Department, which is investigating the case. He will truly be missed. The Army announced that. 2023 Cox Media Group. Authorities initially said Guillen, 20, of Houston, had last been seen in the parking lot of the Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters. by Lloyd Billingsley . Wednesday, Fort Hood officials said they do not suspect foul play in the death of Spc. (U.S. Army), Information gathered from fellow soldiers indicates Sgt. These two people had befriended my son, and the week before (the homicide) had been pretty much leeching off my son, Rosecrans father, Thomas Berg Sr., told Fox 7. Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, center, gets feedback from soldiers about their concerns at Fort Hood, Texas, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. Berg told the station Olivares and Falcon used his sons cellphone after he was killed. (U.S. Army, Bell County Jail). KCEN-TV in Temple reported that family members have been meeting with Army officials daily as the search for Fernandes continues. In her statement to detectives, Falcon said Olivares had talked about selling the gun and about a possible robbery of Rosecrans because Olivares wanted more than Rosecrans was wanting to give.. The family of a Texas soldier who was sexually harassed and killed at a military base near Killeen in 2020 filed a lawsuit Friday seeking $35 million in damages from the U.S. government. Hernandezvargas awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon and the Army Service Ribbon. Vanessa Guilln was sexually harassed by another soldier at Fort Hood -- but not the one who killed her last year, military officials said in a report released Friday. They used that to buy the gas to burn his car, Berg said. Robinson died by suicide before his arrest, preventing him from facing charges. A body believed to be the missing 23-year-old soldier was discovered hanging from a tree Aug. 25 in Temple, about 30 miles from the base. Investigators who searched her phone found that the last person she texted was Specialist Robinson. Along with threatening Wardrobe, Roy had busted out the windows of Wardrobes car, the newspaper reported. Maxwell Hockin, 26, was discovered. On July 2, a charge was brought against another soldier at Fort Hood, Aaron Robinson, who killed himself. Authorities have said Robinson bludgeoned Guillen to death in an arms room on the base and carried her body away in a heavy-duty plastic case. By Johnny Diaz,Maria Cramer and Christina Morales. Specialist Guillens family has raised allegations that she had been sexually harassed before she was killed. Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 06:32, Destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation, United States Attorney's Office Western District of Texas, "Grand jury indicts Cecily Aguilar on 11 counts in Vanessa Guillen murder trial", "Vanessa Guillen bludgeoned to death by fellow soldier, attorney says; suspect ID'd as Calumet City man", "Civilian charged in plot to dismember and hide remains of murdered Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen", "Pfc. If you cant say why he murdered her, you cant say he didnt sexually harass her, family attorney Natalie Khawam said. He did not report to work the following day as scheduled, Fort Hood officials said in a news release. Fernandes, who had reported sexual abuse prior to his disappearance, was last seen Aug. 17 when a superior dropped him off at a home in Killeen. [6] [8] [9] The shooter, 34-year-old Army Specialist Ivan Lopez, died of a self-inflicted gunshot . The 23-year-old Sapulpa, Oklahoma, native, who was days away from being discharged from the Army, vanished after a night out with friends in Killeen. According to Fox 7 in Austin, Rosecrans had been shot four times. Allred was an Army veteran, according to Stars and Stripes. [5] Investigators theorized that the remains, previously buried under concrete, had been dug up by wildlife. The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, the news station reported. Spc. [41] Guilln's mother stated publicly that she had spoken to witnesses who heard two shots at the moment of Robinson's death, and stated her belief that Robinson was executed by authorities as part of a coverup involving senior members of the military. Hogan, 19, and Peak, 21, died Feb. 1 from injuries they suffered in a private car crash on Highway 195 in Williamson County. By Todd South. Ms. Aguilar told investigators that Specialist Robinson had picked her up late on April 22 or early on April 23 at the gas station where she worked. [21] On July 27, 2020, Guilln's mother, who had previously been detained for illegal immigration, was granted parole in place by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the assistance of Garcia and immigration attorney Luis Gomez Alfaro. Base commander Army Lt. Gen. Pat White escaped any punishment because he was deployed to Iraq for much of the year. [40], Guilln's family called for justice and improvement of the way claims of sexual harassment are handled by the military. (U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command). "He had an outstanding work ethic, was a mentor to his peers, and was always willing to help out the team. In 2014, five years after Hasans killing rampage, Iraq War veteran and Army veteran SPC Ivan Lopez opened fire on the base, killing three soldiers and injuring another 16 before killing himself. KCEN-TV reported that Mortas colleagues remembered him Wednesday at a memorial service held on Fort Hood. According to Fort Hood officials, he was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. My sisters a human being. Hasan was convicted in 2013 of 13 counts of murder and 32 counts of attempted murder and sentenced to death. No further details surrounding his death have been released. Posted BY: | NwoReport (Natural News) Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter also a former United States Marine Corps officer joins Mike Adams in a far-reaching interview that covers Ukraine, Russia, NATO, and Nord Stream. Vanessa Guillen", "Foul play suspected in Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen's disappearance", "Vanessa Guillen search: Lawmaker suspects foul play in the disappearance of Texas soldier", "Fort Hood says they have found no connection with sexual harassment and Guillen's disappearance", "Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia hosts virtual update on Vanessa Guilln case", "She 'never made it out of the Army alive': Affidavit details killing of Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen", "Remains of missing soldier Vanessa Guilln identified by Army, family says", "Vanessa Guillen killed with hammer and her body mutilated, affidavit says", "New court documents in Vanessa Guillen's case reveal possible motive for murder", "Public's Help Sought in Locating Fort Hood Soldier", "Army Senior Leaders Update Reporters on U.S. Army Response to COVID-19", https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/30/politics/vanessa-guillen-family-donald-trump/index.htmlM, "Army punishes 14 senior officers after murder and other deaths at Fort Hood", "Texas woman pleads guilty to role in Vanessa Guillen's death", "Houston artists pay tribute to Vanessa Guillen", "New mural pays tribute to Vanessa Guillen in her neighborhood", "Mayor Turner honors Vanessa Guillen with visit to mural", "Fort Hood unveils gate and plaque honoring Vanessa Guilln", "Fort Hood names gate after slain Spc. [20] The authorities said that more than 300 interviews and over 10,000 hours were spent investigating Guilln's disappearance. Thousands of soldiers searched in buildings, barracks, fields, training areas, lakes and trails at Fort Hood. Updated Sep 1, 2020. Police have identified the other two victims as Asia Cline, 22, and Shaquan Markell Allred, 23. Army Sgt. [5][23] The area had previously been searched by Texas Rangers, detectives, and cadaver dogs on June20 after a burn mound was discovered nearby. An independent panel concluded last December that Fort Hood leaders did not properly address high rates of sex assault, harassment and drug use at the base, and that Army investigators were understaffed and inexperienced. Spc. Two people were arrested earlier this month and charged in Rosecrans murder. Officials recently reported the base has the highest number of cases of soldier murders and sexual assaults among all Army installations. Guillen was believed to have been bludgeoned to death at the base by a fellow soldier, Spc. Prosecutors declined to tell Stars and Stripes why the grand jury failed to indict. . He was taken into custody and transported to the Killeen City Jail.. I always envision myself that something great will happen to me. As it stood, the Fort Hood mass murder was the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil since September 11, 2001, . Maxwell Hockin, who was assigned to 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Freddy Delacruz Jr., 23, died March 14, in Killeen, according to Fort Hood. We resolve every case based on its unique circumstances. This story has been shared 108,209 times. Aguilar was reported to be the girlfriend of Aaron David Robinson, a specialist ranked enlisted soldier who was one of the last known people to see Guilln on the day of her disappearance and who had previously been interviewed by investigators. After a young mom was gunned down, investigators uncovered a heinous and unholy plot that began at the victim's own home. When Morales remains were found, Wedel said was told her son decomposed in the field, with dust and debris covering his remains as they sank over time into the ground over time. According to The Associated Press, Hernandezvargas went under as he was being pulled on an inner tube behind a motorboat on the lake. His awards and decorations include two Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Driver and Mechanics Badge and Army Service Ribbon. On September 12, 1990, Dianne Hood, a 32-year-old mother of three, had just left a lupus support group at a community center in Colorado Springs, Colorado when the unthinkable occurred.A masked assailant in military garb grabbed Hood's purse from behind and then shot her. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Fort Hood officials said at a news conference that investigators had been unable to corroborate those claims. Wardrobe, who was found lying in the front yard of a home, had been shot repeatedly. He was an outstanding trooper, Lt. Col. Steven E. Jackowski, commander, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, said in a statement. Ailiana Fernandes and other family members have traveled to Texas from Massachusetts to seek answers about Elder Fernandes disappearance. All those men and women in our service suffering from sexual harassment, suffering from sexual assault because they report it yet they take it as a joke. Two witnesses later said that on the same day, they saw Specialist Robinson coming out of the arms room, pulling a large tough box with wheels that appeared very heavy in weight, according to the complaint. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) . Army report finds Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guilln reported being sexually harassed twice before she was killed The investigation did not find evidence that Guilln's alleged killer had. We send our deepest condolences to the family of Specialist Christopher Sawyer and the loved ones most closely affected by this tragedy. By May Jeong Photography by Devin Oktar Yalkin July 6, 2021 PART ONE: THE MYSTERIES The numbers are distressing. Elder Fernandes Army Sgt. PVT Morta was a great trooper and this loss is felt by every member within our formation.. In fact, when Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp signed a bill in 2021 requiring voter ID and strengthening rules against bribery and electioneering at the polls, the President condemned the law as "Jim Crow on steroids." Among the reports findings: Specialist Guillen was sexually harassed, but not by Specialist Robinson, and that he had also been accused of unrelated sexual harassment. (Bell County Jail). LONDON (AP) A painting by Wassily Kandinsky that spent decades in a Dutch museum after its Jewish owner was murdered in the Holocaust has sold at auction for 37.2 million pounds ($44.9 million). Rosecrans, 27, of Kimberling City, Missouri, was found slain May 18 on the side of a road in Harker Heights, Texas. Sewell is the latest soldier to disappear from the base after a series of soldiers disappeared in the past few years. On July2, Bell County officials stated Aguilar would be transferred to federal custody due to being charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence by the United States Attorney's Office Western District of Texas. He was a patriot who volunteered to serve our great country and we will always be grateful for his steadfast dedication to family, friends and fellow Soldiers. Hockin's awards and decorations include the Army Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon, officials said. 2021 at 7:32pm As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Army investigators detained Specialist Robinson in the killing of Specialist Guillen just hours after her remains were found, but a series of missteps allowed him to flee, then fatally shoot himself, according to an Army report released on April 30, 2021. Ms. Aguilar said she helped Specialist Robinson dismember the body with an ax or hatchet and a machete-style knife, according to the complaint. Hernandezvargas was the second soldier who died on the lake in less than a month. As long as I keep learning from my mistakes and Morta had been an Army private since last September, when he entered as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle mechanic. The couple then tried to dismember and burn the remains, according to the complaint. Four people, including the gunman, were killed while 14 additional people were injured; 12 by gunshot wounds. On June 30, 2020, human remains were found near the Leon River in Bell County,. [24][25] In the early hours of July1, Killeen police located and attempted to make contact with Robinson, who produced a handgun and killed himself before he could be taken into custody. In December 2020, the Army announced14 senior leaders and enlisted personnel at Fort Hoodwere fired or suspended following an independent panel's review of the command climate and culture at the base. The probe, led by Gen. John Murray, head of Army Futures Command, concluded that Guilln had been sexually harassed by another soldier, who authorities said was among those sanctioned. Her case inspired protests and led the Army to discipline more than a dozen officials. Elder Fernandes safe a remains the top priority of the 1st Cavalry Division..We ask him to reach out to his leadership, his family, the local police or a nearby hospital or clinic so we can ensure he receives the care he needs. Fort Hood soldier found dead behind barracks, investigation underway Officials identified the soldier as 26-year-old Spc. Specialist Robinson worked in a building at Fort Hood that was adjacent to where Specialist Guillen worked, according to Special Agent Damon Phelps of the Criminal Investigation Command. Robinsons civilian girlfriend, Cecily Anne Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, is charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. People wishing to remain anonymous will be honored to the degree allowable under the law and the information will be held in the strictest confidence allowable, Army officials said. According to court documents, from April 22, 2020 through July 1, 2020, Aguilar assisted Army Specialist Aaron Robinson in corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating and concealing evidence that is, the body of Vanessa Guillen in order to prevent Robinson from being charged with and prosecuted for any crime, said a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas. We can confirm there is an open investigation of abusive sexual contact involving Sgt. A soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas was found dead over the weekend behind a barracks, according to local media reports. Hockin had been at the Texas base since July 2017, where he was assigned to the 91st Engineer Battalion. And I want justice, and I want answers.. Two more who had separated from the Army at the base within the previous six months were also slain, according to Stars and Stripes. Cellphone data, video and eyewitness statements put the two men together in the area of the slaying. [2], Aguilar was arrested by Texas Rangers and held at the Bell County Jail. I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. Her disappearance nonetheless prompted multiple investigations into sexual harassment on the base, as well as calls for a congressional probe into the way her disappearance and death were handled. Army leaders have declined to discuss possible motives for the killing. (U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command). Command Sgt. Published: Oct. 12, 2021 at 4:48 PM PDT FORT HOOD, Texas (KWTX) - Specialist Maxwell Hockin, 26, a soldier stationed at Fort Hood, was found dead behind his company barracks over the weekend, according to officials at Fort Hood. [44], On December8, 2020, McCarthy announced the results of the investigation, disciplining 14 U.S. commanders and other leaders at Fort Hood, citing multiple "leadership failures". THE MURDERS AT FORT HOOD Remains of soldiers have been turning up around the Texas military base with terrifying frequency. Army staff sergeant convicted of murdering wife with puffer fish poison Army staff sergeant convicted of killing wife with toxin from puffer fish He faces 70 years behind bars and will be. Unlike Fernandes, Guillen had not reported her allegations to base officials. Disciplinary measures were also taken against soldiers and leaders assigned below brigade level, however the Army does not, as a matter of policy, "release the names of the battalion level and below commanders and leaders who received administrative action.