Army. Spc. Vanessa Guillen was allegedly killed by Spc. Aaron David Robinson, who was identified as a suspect Tuesday evening and took his own life Wednesday.
Human remains found in a shallow grave by a Texas river have been positively identified as Army. Spc. Vanessa Guillen, Guillen family attorney Natalie Khawam said.
Kwaham told the Army Times and CNN that Army investigators informed them on Sunday that the remains belonged to 20-year-old Guillen, who was reported missing from Fort Hood more than two months ago.
“On July 3rd, the Army called me to confirm that the bones, hair and other remains found are Vanessa Guillen,” Khawam told the Times. “We are at a loss for words. Our country has lost a beautiful young soldier because the system is broken.”
Guillen couldn’t be identified by her medical records because her face had been so badly beaten, Khawam told CNN. In order to identify her, Guillen’s remains had to be sent to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Guillen was last seen in the parking lot of her barracks at Fort Hood on April 22, according to the US Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID). Her remains were found June 30.
Guillen died on the day she disappeared, beaten to death with a hammer in the armory where she worked, Khawam said last week, citing information she said was provided during a four-hour meeting with Army Criminal Investigation Command officials.
She was allegedly attacked by Spc. Aaron David Robinson. Robinson was identified as a suspect Tuesday evening and a BOLO (be on the lookout for) warning was issued by the base, Khawam said.
But the 20-year-old fled Fort Hood on foot, and later shot himself to death about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday on a residential street in Killeen, Texas as law enforcement officers tried to apprehend him, authorities said.
Guillen’s family said she planned to file a harassment complaint against Robinson the day after she was killed, and that they believe Robinson became enraged when she told him that, Khawam told CNN. But authorities said Robinson told them Guillen wanted to report him for having a relationship with a married woman. The Guillen family disputes this account.
Fort Hood officials said they were not aware of reports of sexual harassment involving Robinson, but the investigation was ongoing.
After Guillen died, Robinson allegedly contacted his married girlfriend “to help him bury her bloody body,” Khawam wrote. “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."
Cecily Anne Aguilar, the estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier, was arrested by Texas Rangers in connection with Guillen's disappearance. Aguilar, 22, is in Bell County Jail awaiting civilian authorities to press charges, CNN reported.
She is expected in federal court in Waco, Texas for arraignment on Monday.
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