[16] The remains were found in a shallow grave, and search operations were suspended pending identification, said Texas EquuSearch. Murder suspect Aaron Robinson, 20, took his own life after fleeing the base. I mean we can all do that.[4], The family of Gregory Wedel-Morales says that lack of justice coupled with a lack of transparency is serious cause for concern adding that Fort Hood needs to do a better job of ensuring safety for their younger soldiers on and off post. On June 30, Robinson went missing from his Fort Hood post. Elder Fernandes' disappearance comes days after the 11th death at the Texas base this year, Guillen's body was found encased in concrete, Pvt. 56, WARNING:FORT HOOD HAS DECLARED WAR ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. You get rank reduction, removed from your leadership role, & possibly moved to another unit, said one user in response to the news. Federal prosecutors have saidGuillens body, found in July, was mutilated and burnedbefore it was placed in three different holes after she was bludgeoned to death. "The unit continues to search areas of the base and is periodically checking his home, area hotels, and other areas of interest," a Fort Hood official said. Anyone with information on Fernandes is urged to contact the Fort Hood Military Police at 254-288-1170, U.S. Army CID at 254-287-2722, or the Killeen Police Department at 254-200-7905. [7], Army Inspector General investigation is assessing whether the climate fostered by Fort Hood commanders is supportive of reporting incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Robinson had joined the Army in October 2017 and was trained as a combat engineer. [8], The partial remains at Leon River site was so brutally dismembered and burned that investigators were unable to use dental records to make any identification,[18] yet Army investigators positively identified the remains as Vanessa Guilln, says The Washington Post. U.S. Army via AP "Our worst nightmare has happened," Khawam said. "I guess the police is helping, but the Army's not so much," she said. "And I am really sorry that I was not able to provide them the information sufficient to reduce their suffering," Major Gen. Scott Efflandt, deputy commanding general of III Corps at Fort Hood, said at a news conference. Officials within Vanessa Guillen's unit become aware she's missing, according to court documents. Is a lawyer and publicity to beat the army up to get answers? [10] Her car keys, room key, identification card and wallet were found in an armory room where she was working that day.[8], CID told the Guilln family that Vanessa was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in the armory room where she worked, and Her body was transported from the military installation by her killer,[10], The investigation into Guilln's disappearance is separate from another into her family's claim that she was sexually harassed. Elder Fernandes was last seen by members of his unit on Aug. 17. Dawn Gomez holds her 3-year-old granddaughter, Saryia Greer, who waves at Vanessa Guillen's mural painted by Alejandro "Donkeeboy" Roman Jr. on the side of Taqueria Del Sol, July 2, 2020, in Houston. Her sisters said Guillen, 20, told them and fellow soldiers that she was being sexually harassed by a superior and was fearful of reporting the incident because of potential retaliation. ABC News . The string of deaths prompted an independent review of the climate and culture at Fort Hood, which led to the punishment of 14 senior officers. Assistant district attorney from Williamson County suspended after DWI wreck in Hewitt, Austin police looking for teen mom who ran away from state facility with newborn son, Tornadic weather conditions made it difficult for fire crews to extinguish house that caught fire after being struck by lightning, New non-profit coming to Bell County in fight against homelessness, Change was like night and day: Mother testifies in retrial of ex-Waco day care owner charged in childs overdose death. And in her statement, Khawam said Fernandes is the thirteenth Fort Hood soldier to have "vanished or been killed" this year. Fernandes' older brother, Elton Fernandes, said that he spoke to him about the alleged incident, asking if it was true. She was charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence and pleaded not guilty. Texas Rep. Sylvia Garcia and the Guillen family met with Fort Hood leadership, who told them they suspected foul play in Vanessa's disappearance. The body of Spc Vanessa Guillen, 20,was found in a shallow grave near the Leon River about 20 miles east of the Fort Hood military base following her April disappearance. [10], Garcia said it would be up to Defense Secretary Mark Esper "to make sure that the Department of Defense does its job, and does a full independent investigation. Aguilar is expected in federal court in Waco, Texas, for arraignment on July 6. A private first class when she disappeared, she was promoted to specialist effective July 1, based on time in service, according to Fort Hood. The family said it was foul play repeatedly. Fort Hood is located halfway between Austin and Waco and is about 60 miles from each city. Two Mexican men and a U.S. citizen have admitted to their roles in an alien smuggling conspiracy which resulted in death, A 40-year-old San Antonio resident has been ordered to federal prison for transporting undocumented aliens, A 24-year-old Laredo resident has been sent to prison for conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens resulting in death, Southern District of Texas The army has said they have no evidence of that. I feel like soldiers going missing should be a much bigger deal than what it is now. Investigators say they have skeletal or partial remains, and bodies of suicides and murders. The criminal complaint released later Thursday said the civilian arrested in the Guillen case is Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, Texas, near Fort Hood. Ft. The main suspect in her disappearance, another soldier, killed himself as investigators confronted him. Last year, at least 39 Fort Hood soldiers died or went missing. She said she went on base with police and found his only known car still parked there. [1], McQueen reportedly planned "sex parties" for high-ranking officers at Fort Hood and recruited subordinate female soldiers to the fledgling prostitution ring. The military base's 1st Cavalry Division has asked for public help in locating the 23-year-old specialist. The news was first announced by the family's. As law enforcement agencies continue to investigate, Fort Hood is continuing its own search efforts. ANOTHER Fort Hood soldier has gone missing as the base has been rocked by numerous deaths over the past year. Four other soldiers who went missing are: SpcVanessa Guillen; Pvt. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command received notification from Guillen's captain that she was last seen on the Fort Hood base. Fernandes, who was born in Cape Verde in West Africa, joined the Army in Sept. 2016. Vanessa Guillen, who disappeared in April 2020 and was later found to have been bludgeoned to death with a hammer in the armory where she worked. On July 30, Pea wrote a social media post saying there would be an active shooter at the base, according to an affidavit obtained by KXAN. The statement also said Fernandes did not report to work Monday as scheduled. Based on information gathered from fellow soldiers, Fernandes "may have left Fort Hood on his own accord," according to a statement from the Army Criminal Investigation Command Friday. His death followed ten other soldiers includingVanessa Guillen, whoseremains were found months after she went missing. "She was afraid to report it. Multiple deaths of young US soldiers at Fort Hood,[4] has shed light on a sexual assault ring in Killeen, Texas. The numbers are distressing. Hood soldier, What We Know About the Death of Vanessa Guillen, Army announces new investigation into Vanessa Guillen case as senior Fort Hood official removed from post, Army officials reveal new details in Vanessa Guillen case, U.S. Army Foot Hood website: REMEMBERING VANESSA GUILLEN, What to know about missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen, The military failed him, family of slain Fort Hood soldier Gregory Wedel Morales says, The military failed him: Soldiers bones found months after he was labeled a deserter, Family hopes autopsy will help strike dead Fort Hood soldiers name from deserter list, Fort Hood: What we know about 12 soldiers missing, slain or killed in accidents since January, Lawmakers to officially introduce #IAmVanessaGuillen bill Wednesday, Military makes little effort to punish deserters, A Year of Heartbreak and Bloodshed at Fort Hood, Missing Fort Hood soldier found in Louisiana, Vanessa Guillens Mother Claims Her Killer Did Not Die. The FDA Has Officially Approved Pfizers COVID Vaccine. By bringing in outside consultant civillians, it (1) allows the matter to be taken outside of Army hands,[10] (2) prolongs a proper military investigation, and (3) enables a potential coverup of a sexual assault ring involving high level officers. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A Warner Bros. "I have long advocated for real reforms for them to report these incidents outside the chain of command," Gabbard added. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Fort Hood CID. There are a few that are worse, but not many. Sgt. Sewell was last seen leaving her barracks around 4 p.m. (5 p.m. Fernandes was last seen wearing a black Army T-shirt and shorts with black, orange and yellow athletic shoes. [5] Wedel was scheduled to be discharged within days of his disappearance, the Army said. 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. A federal magistrate judge denied Cecily Aguilar bail after prosecutors revealed she expressed her desires to flee the country. Venessa Guillen and Aaron Robinson were co-workers, but were located in different buildings; he was not in her line of command. The body of Hernandezvargas, from Woodside,New York, was also recovered from the water after a boating incident on August 2. Updated: May 16, 2022 / 07:13 AM CDT. Law enforcement, Sewells chain-of-command and her family have been unable to contact her in the time since. Updates will be provided when the investigation is complete, he added. The secretary of the Army has ordered a broad independent review of the command climate and culture at Fort Hood, Texas, in the wake of the murder of Guillen. There's no reason why a young beautiful girl who joined the Army, to honorably serve our country, should be in a shallow grave near on our own turf. Foul play is also suspected in Wedel-Morales' death, and the Army is offering a $25,000 reward for information. Khawam announced that the human remains discovered 20 miles from Fort Hood on June 30 were positively identified as Guillen. His mother and aunt, Isabel Fernandes, told ABC News that they spoke to him on the phone several times while he was at the hospital, but he did not reveal much as to why he was there. They first reached out Aug. 11, when Fernandes was admitted to the hospital, he added. Published LAREDO, Texas Two soldiers stationed in Texas have been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. And his Jeep was on fire. Brautigam said that unit leaders have been in contact with the family daily to provide comfort and updates as they become available. Robinson then drove Aguilar to the Leon River, where he opened the box to reveal Guillen's body, court records show. Fort Hood is shady as fuck. A FORT Hood soldier went missing on Wednesday only days after he got married - and his family claims there was foul play involved in his disappearance. Army Pfc. On June 19, authorities discovered skeletal remains,[5] which they claimed to belong to Wedel-Morales. "So were going to look into it very powerfully, the president said. Is that what it takes? A lock ( [2], In McQueens statementhe knew a man who would attend a party and have sex and that he believed [they] could make money there and a lot of it. He added, We specifically talked about swinger parties, stripper parties.[3], Part of the Killeen, Texas sex trafficking scandal, Subterranean training at West Fort Hood, 2014 in Night Vision. Sometimes these absences garner media attention but the majority of them do not. Discovery Company. What this means: Please keep any "meta" discussion directed at specific users, mods, or r/conspiracy in general in this comment chain only. Before Guilln went missing, she told her family that she was being sexually harassed by one of her sergeants at Fort Hood, according to a website her family set up to promote the search. While at work on April 22, Guillen was contacted by a fellow soldier, Specialist Aaron David Robinson, via text message to deliver paperwork regarding a machine gun that needed to be serviced, according to court documents. Anyone with information about where she might be is asked to contact Fort Hood Military Police. They deal meth out of there to the people they want to run MKultra on. Elder Fernandes, 23, is pictured in a poster released by Fort Hood in Texas on Aug. 20, 2020. . Anne Aguilar is taken into custody by Texas Rangers on suspicion of being involved in the disappearance of Vanessa Guilln. It's a hated assignment, to be posted there. The Army Criminal Investigation Command confirmed that the human remains found near a lake about 20 miles from the Fort Hood military base belonged to Guillen. Fort Hood is cooperating with local authorities and Bell County Sheriff's Office. And the criminal is now in the military. "On Sunday, he spoke with his mom, promising that he will call on Monday from his phone to give us more information," said Isabel Fernandes. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/army-suspects-foul-play-disappearance-fort-hood-soldier-vanessa-guillen-n1231928/, Army suspects foul play when they find Gregory Morales body outside of Fort Hood. The family said it was foul play repeatedly. Wasn't that uncommon to find drug paraphernalia in equipment, dorms, work areas, etc. Not only that, since the military is not meeting it's recruitment numbers they've been forced to lower their standards on who they admit into military service. According to the Associated Press, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy opted to remove officials from their jobs including two general officers after findings from an independent panel investigation revealed the bases widespread problems. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Updated on: June 3, 2016 / 10:45 PM / CBS/AP. She reported it to her friends. Secretary of the Army announces missing Soldier policy, forms People First Task Force to implement Fort Hood Independent Review Committee (FHIRC) recommendations By U.S. Army December 8, 2020 . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Subterranean tunnelling into the mountainside continued into 1961. On June 19, skeletal remains found near Fort Hood, following an anonymous tip, were later identified as Pvt. Fernandes who is originally from Massachusetts is a Chemical, Biological Radiological and Nuclear specialist at Fort Hood. The Fernandes family has retained an attorney, Natalie Khawam, who's also the attorney for the family of Vanessa Guillen, 20, who went missing from Fort Hood in late April and whose remains were discovered near the base months later. ET) October 7, according to a statement by the Fort Hood Directorate of Emergency Services (DES), which said she failed to report to work that day. Lt. Col. Chris Brautigam, a 1st Cavalry Division public affairs officer, said last week that Fernandes had previously transferred units after reporting sexual abuse, and that an investigation into the allegation remained open. Police said that identification found at the scene indicated the victim may be Fernandes though they were awaiting forensic confirmation and expressed condolences to his family. CID investigators interviewed the 20-year-old Robinson, who told them that the day Guillen went missing he went to the off-post residence he shared with his girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, according to court documents. I also wish to contest that they arent meeting quotas. 21 of them unaccounted for? A joint investigation later confirmed Oppongagyare, Saint-Joie, Williams and Palmer each served a role in the conspiracy as drivers who would travel to locations in Texas to transport the aliens in exchange for money. Vanessa's older sister, 22-year-old Mayra, started an online fundraiser to cover the cost of a private investigator and an attorney. Plus family and friends and businesses and such. Fernandes' disappearance comes after a difficult month for Fort Hood. The base is the Army's Premier Installation to train and deploy heavy forces. "[8], Cecily Anne Aguilar, wife of an unnamed former Fort Hood soldier[8], CID claims that, Robinson called a woman he was involved with to help him dispose of Guilln's body after moving it outside the base., On July 2nd, the FBI formally submited a criminal complaint for a civillian identified as Cecily Anne Aguilar,[16] the estranged wife of a former unnamed soldier from Fort Hood.
