Found Deceased TX - PFC Vanessa Guillen, 20, Fort Hood military base, items left behind, 22 Apr 2020 *arrests* #3

[MsBetsy]

I heard he was a Spc.4


But doesn't this fall under the category of federal or military law and not the state? It was on a military base.

I don't think he can be charged at all since he is dead. The only person that will (hopefully) be convicted is CA, I would think. Her role in dismembering the body and hiding evidence occurred outside the base, but she committed a crime against a US soldier so maybe she will be charged with a federal crime.

ETA. However, if others were involved there still may be further charges. Jmo

 

[California Sunset]

I don't think he can be charged at all since he is dead. The only person that will (hopefully) be convicted is CA, I would think. Her role in dismembering the body and hiding evidence occurred outside the base, but she committed a crime against a US soldier so maybe she will be charged with a federal crime.

ETA. However, if others were involved there still may be further charges. Jmo

I was asking more about if a death occurs on a military base, would it follow the federal or military laws and not those of the state.

 

[Boxer]

I was asking more about if a death occurs on a military base, would it follow the federal or military laws and not those of the state.

Death of a soldier is military.

 

[riolove77]

If you all recall from the affidavit, CA says at one point that after she had begun helping AR with the body, she “realized it was VG”. This is very telling, because it indicates she knew - or at least knew of - VG prior to her death. I wonder if AR had been telling her that VG was threatening his career with “false” accusations about harassment and/or about the illicit relationship between AR and CA, and had shown her photos of VG. There had to have been some planning and forethought here.

 

[m00c0w]

Death of a soldier is military.

UCMJ only applies to service members. Civilians like CA would be charged under local or federal law, depending on circumstances. A lot of times, local PD handles cases on military bases. Because of the egregiousness of this case, it appears federal law enforcement got involved and are charging CA with federal crimes.

 

[Inquisitive2018]

If you all recall from the affidavit, CA says at one point that after she had begun helping AR with the body, she “realized it was VG”. This is very telling, because it indicates she knew - or at least knew of - VG prior to her death. I wonder if AR had been telling her that VG was threatening his career with “false” accusations about harassment and/or about the illicit relationship between AR and CA, and had shown her photos of VG. There had to have been some planning and forethought here.

I did not see that in the affidavit. it just says at a later date CA identified her as VG.

 

[riolove77]

I did not see that in the affidavit. it just says at a later date CA identified her as VG.

Hmm maybe I misread it.

 

[ralyla]

I have been keeping up with these threads and am heartbroken at the brutal murder of Vanessa.

Local artists in my town painted a beautiful mural of Vanessa that I wanted to share.

Credit to Juan Velázquez for painting the mural and organizing other artists to help out. A video about the mural can be found here:

Fort Worth Artists Paint Mural of Vanessa Guillen

RIP Vanessa.

 

[swedeheart]

 

[Lillymac]

How do you know they 'messed up from the beginning'? Does it actually say what they were aware of when? I was under the impression the investigation was kept under close wraps.

He was the last person who saw her. They had access to the phone so they could have checked locations then. Why wait until the river is searched? Maybe there is information that hasn't been released as far as the investigation. Seems awfully quick that they find evidence and then question him. And then bingo...he's dead. Seems like a lot of time that nothing was done.

 

[Cindizzi]

The soldier, Specialist Vanessa Guillen, 20, was last seen on April 22 at Fort Hood, in central Texas. On Friday, the specialist’s older sister, Marya Guillen, got a call from the Army, confirming what the family already suspected: Bones, hair and other remains that had been found at the end of June were her sister’s.

“There’s not much that can explain what we’re feeling,” said Ms. Guillen, who turned 22 the day of the call. “I feel an empty presence in my chest. And for my mom, it’s hard to accept. But she knows that heaven has an angel.”

The Army’s call came more than two months after Specialist Guillen disappeared, and after her family’s push for an investigation into her disappearance, and her accusations of sexual harassment, caught the attention of lawmakers and a presidential candidate. The family has also called for changes to how the military handles reports of sexual harassment and assault.

Ms. Guillen did not want to tell her mother the news about her sister’s remains until they were back home in Houston. But she said her mother could not shake a gut feeling that something was wrong, showing signs of a panic attack in Washington, where an ambulance had to be called.

Now, her mother, Gloria Guillen, 42, and the rest of the family is leaning on their Catholic faith and hope for change in the military.

“It’s horrible,” her mother said in Spanish last month. “It’s maddening. As her mother, I cannot sleep.”

The family spent the weekend praying for Specialist Guillen, and a priest visited their home. An area of the house was set aside in her memory, adorned with photos, flowers and medals celebrating her honors, soccer tournaments and marathons.

Faith was a cornerstone in Specialist Guillen’s life. Her memorial is surrounded by figures of angels and the Virgin Mary, whom Specialist Guillen wore on a gold necklace that she never took off.

“At the end of the day, God does things a certain way, and if he needed a good soldier with him, Vanessa was the one,” Mayra Guillen said. “That’s the way we see it.”

‘An Empty Presence in My Chest’: Vanessa Guillen’s Family Calls for Change in the Military

 

[MassGuy]

NEW Fort Hood to hold another press conference today at 6 p.m. “on the current status of the Spc. #VanessaGuillen investigation.”

https://twitter.com/brandonkwtx/status/1280
193426412179458?s=21

 

[riolove77]

I also wonder what the basis of Mayra's confrontation was with AR. I wonder if she had said to him something about knowing VG had made accusations against him, and asking or implying that he knew what happened to her. I could see him laughing it off in an effort to say those claims are ridiculous.

 

[Jessthinkin]

Who knows if AR even used a hammer, can they still determine the cause of death?
Only thimg I'll say is according to reports AR confirmed whatever CA said on the controlled call, so some accuracy, but the adultery stuff was not in the affidavit.

Good point; I doubt he used a hammer for the initial attack unless there ends up being blood spatter evidence in the armory room (or where it happened...)

 

[CronesEye]

I wonder what the exact nature of the harassment was.

There have been many instances of Fort Hood soldiers trafficking others.

Here is one, Sergeant 1st Class Gregory McQueen, who believe it or not was the SHARP/Sexual Harassment Response Prevention representative who ended up recruiting troops for prostitution.

Inside Fort Hood’s Prostitution Ring
Inside Fort Hood’s Prostitution Ring

I can see a guy with this demeanor/objective laughing at women who are vulnerable. I am just saying there may be much more to the story given Fort Hoods problem history with human trafficking. Do a search and you will see many human trafficking stings at Fort Hood.
Like others have said, there are soldiers who are rapists, criminals and murders. I know the military takes in criminals, I saw it during inprocessing, heard others stories.

But wow, trafficking other troops???

When is this going to end?

 

[MsBetsy]

I was asking more about if a death occurs on a military base, would it follow the federal or military laws and not those of the state.

In the affidavit it says, "The original offense of murder was committed at the Fort Hood Military Installation, located within the Waco Division of the Western District of Texas, a place of special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the Federal Government. A murder at Fort Hood, and any related offenses, would be pursued as a criminal proceeding in the US District Court."

So I would think CA could still be charged with a federal crime.

 

[CronesEye]

Good point; I doubt he used a hammer for the initial attack unless there ends up being blood spatter evidence in the armory room (or where it happened...)

Definitely.
Who is to say they didn't drug her and put her in the case.
Need proof of everything before any conclusion can be made.
She may have been killed off base after abduction.
AC can make up any lies she wants. They really need to test everything absolutely everything she says.

VG was last seen in athletic attire, who is to say she wasn't abducted while running.
I won't believe anything until it is proven.
Military will want to spin this to not be harassment, not be superior over lower rank.

I had no idea Fort Hood was this unsafe. After reading all the social media, I see overseas bases are safer. This is progress?

 

[MsBetsy]

Good point; I doubt he used a hammer for the initial attack unless there ends up being blood spatter evidence in the armory room (or where it happened...)

What about the hammer that was missing from the armory room? He must have used something similar to a hammer for her skull to be in so many pieces. Jmo

 

[Lillymac]

In the affidavit it says, "The original offense of murder was committed at the Fort Hood Military Installation, located within the Waco Division of the Western District of Texas, a place of special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the Federal Government. A murder at Fort Hood, and any related offenses, would be pursued as a criminal proceeding in the US District Court."

So I would think CA could still be charged with a federal crime.

Didn't they move her to a federal lockup??

 

[CronesEye]

Just want to say if VG was drugged, put in the case and taken off base then killed, AC could have been one of those guilty of murder, could have assisted AR in murder not just hiding evidence.