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. Robinson killed himself as authorities tried to arrest him. At least 15 soldiers at Fort Hood have disappeared or . Fort Hood officials said Hernandezvargas, a native of Woodside, New York, had been in the Army since May 2017. An automatic rifleman, he had been assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division since December 2017. Rosecrans entered the Army in May 2018 as a quartermaster and chemical equipment repairer, according to Fort Hood officials. A 26-year-old Fort Hood soldier was found dead Saturday behind his barracks, according to military officials. The command wishes to express its condolences to the families and friends of Specialist Jakob Aton, and all who have been affected by this tragic accident. Jovino Jamel Roy, 22, of Coppers Cove, Texas, is charged with murder in the March 23, 2020, killing of Michael Steven Wardrobe, 22, in Killeen, Texas. 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. Elder Fernandes, 23, was last seen by fellow Fort Hood soldiers Aug. 17, 2020, at an off-base home in Killeen, Texas. And we believe that the person that killed her is that person that sexually harassed her, the one that walked into the shower. She was missing for months until some of her remains were found buried along the Leon River in June 2020. When Specialist Guillen disappeared, Ms. Aguilar, 22 at the time, was living with Specialist Robinson, according to the complaint. She was found dead July 1 in a shallow grave near Leon River in Bell County, about 20 miles east of Fort Hood. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) . In 2020 alone, 31 soldiers connected to Fort Hood died, including 11 reported as suicides and five as homicides. Fort Hood suspends commander of military police . Elder Fernandes, 23, was last seen by fellow Fort Hood soldiers Aug. 17, 2020, at an off-base home in Killeen, Texas. [37], On April19, 2021, Lieutenant General Robert P. White, commander of III Corps and Fort Hood unveiled that one out of the 27 gates that grant entry to Fort Hood will be renamed "The Vanessa Guilln Gate" with a plaque in her honor. Tips can also be submitted anonymously on the Crime Stoppers website or at cid.army.mil/report-a-crime.html. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, The Army is scrapping Fort Hood name here's who it will be renamed for, Family of slain Texas soldier seeking $35 million in damages, Army vet gets 18 months for stealing $2.1M in military gear from Texas base, Fort Hood soldier reported missing has been found safe, highest number of soldier murders and sexual assault cases, after collapsing during a training exercise. [5] Tim Miller, Director of Texas EquuSearch, stated that it was the most sophisticated burial site he had ever seen. Rosecrans, 27, was found dead from gunshot wounds May 18 on the side of the road in Harker Heights, Texas three miles away from where his Jeep was discovered engulfed in flames. . The Black Knight family is truly heartbroken by the tragic loss of PVT Mejhor Morta, Armstrong said in a news release. Saber's death is among multiple incidents at the Texas base in recent years. Harker Heights police officials said officers were called around 10:16 a.m. to the 2100 block of Fuller Lane, where Rosecrans was found dead. Officers checked the area and were unable to locate the source (of the gunshots), a news release from the department said. We send our most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Private Hogan. 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. Twenty-eight soldiers died at the base in 2020 from homicides, suicides and accidents. Two people were arrested earlier this month and charged in Rosecrans murder. But the only among the victims may be the institution that them all. In December 2020, the Army found major flaws in the culture at Fort Hood and disciplined more than a dozen officials. Wardrobe was reportedly romantically involved with Roys wife, the Herald reported. by Lloyd Billingsley . Hernandezvargas, 24, was discovered dead Aug. 2 after he disappeared underwater while being pulled on an inner tube behind a motorboat at the same lake where Mortas body was recovered. An investigation is ongoing and officials did not say whether foul play was suspected. 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, in Washington. Falcon told police those allegations were not true. 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. Last year, at least 39 Fort Hood soldiers vanished or died, including 13. #findelderfernandes pic.twitter.com/nSU46T7IkC. Spc. Fort Hood officials said Delacruz entered the Army in November 2017 as a cavalry scout and had been assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division since April 2018. For more on the string of violence at Fort Hood, subscribe now to PEOPLE or. Chris Swecker, Jonathan Harmon, Carrie Ricci, Queta Rodriguez and Jack White visited Fort Hood for 19 days between August and September and conducted 80 group interviews, which encompassed over . 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. Vanessa mysteriously disappeared on April 22, 2020, according to The New York Times. According to Fox 7, police and firefighters found that the passenger seat in the soldiers Jeep was reclined all the way. Eight senior commanders were fired but no criminal charges were brought against any of the soldiers as a result of the investigation, military leaders said. It is unclear what started the altercation. Vanessa Guillen, 20, vanished April 22, 2020, from Fort Hood, where she was stationed and worked as a small arms and artillery repairer. As a result of the report on investigations findings, released on Dec. 8, 2020, 14 Army officials at Fort Hood were either fired or suspended, including several high-ranking leaders. Each of us in the battalion are grateful for having known him, and we collectively grieve his loss.. 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. Robinson died by suicide before his arrest, preventing him from facing charges. 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. [38][39], In 2022 the Park Place post office was renamed after Guilln. Unlike Fernandes, Guillen had not reported her allegations to base officials. She pleaded guilty in November and faces a maximum possible penalty of 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. 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). Elder Fernandes was reported missing nearly one year to the day after the Aug. 20, 2019, disappearance of Morales. The couple buried the remains near the Leon River, it said. Because his death occurred off-base, the Killeen Police Department is investigating his killing. [5], Later that evening, at around 8:30p.m., authorities re-interviewed Cecily Anne Aguilar, a local woman who was the estranged wife of a soldier at Fort Hood. Guilln was stationed at Fort Hood, a U.S. Army installation in Bell County, Texas, which is approximately 340 square miles (880km2) in size and home to III Corps and the First Cavalry Division. Vanessa Guillen murder: Demonstrators carry a banner demanding justice for slain U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guillen during the Black and Brown Unity March July 12, 2020, in Los Angeles. 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. The couple then tried to dismember and burn the remains, according to the complaint. 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. Vanessa Guillen bludgeoned to death on Army base, family attorney says", "Remains of missing soldier Vanessa Guilln likely found, family says, as suspect kills himself", "Cecily Aguilar indicted on 11 counts for involvement in Vanessa Guillen's death", "Cecily Aguilar pleads guilty to felony charges for involvement in Vanessa Guillen's murder", "Missing Fort Hood soldier was killed in armory, then hacked to pieces, family's attorney says", "Army to investigate Fort Hood SHARP program after disappearance of PFC Vanessa Guillen", "Calumet City Soldier Aaron David Robinson Was Main Suspect In Murder Of Fellow Soldier Vanessa Guillen", "Salma Hayek uses social media to find missing US Army soldier Vanessa!!! Aaron Robinson was the suspect in the murder of Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood. 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. Killeen police officials said officers were called around 1 a.m. March 14 to the Summerlyn Apartments, in reference to gunshots. The point of emphasis being that we are going to put every resource and all of the energy we can in this entire institution behind fixing these problems.. For months, activists, politicians and Specialist Guillens family called for an investigation into Fort Hood, the nations third-largest Army base. Specialist Guillen was last seen around noon on April 22, 2020, in the parking lot of her squadrons headquarters at Fort Hood. Army leaders have declined to discuss possible motives for the killing. Investigators tasked with analyzing failures at Fort Hood, Texas, pointed to NCOs perpetuating a culture of fear. When they began fighting, Roy opened fire. He had been deployed in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from May 2018 to January 2019. FORT HOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- U.S. Army officials at Fort Hood have identified a soldier who was found dead Saturday behind his company barracks. Lt. Col. Chris Brautigam, a spokesman for the 1st Cavalry Division, told NBC News on Saturday that Fernandes had reported improper sexual contact to his superiors. His death is being investigated as a homicide and his mother, Kim Wedel, has said investigators believe he was shot in the face. 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. 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. [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. [15] On June 23, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, in whose district Guilln's family resides, met with Fort Hood officials to discuss the ongoing search. [5][23] The area had previously been searched by Texas Rangers, detectives, and cadaver dogs on June20 after a burn mound was discovered nearby. He was assigned to the 9th Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division since May 2019. Moore, a 36-year-old Texas Army National Guard soldier, died in a training accident while completing a land navigation course Aug. 13 at the base. murders, and cases of sexual . 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. Our priority right now is to take care of his family, ensuring they have all the resources they need during this critical time.. 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. The Army announced that. Finding Sgt. The investigation found major flaws at Fort Hood and a command climate that was permissive of sexual harassment and sexual assault, said Mr. McCarthy. 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. US Army Spc. The Texas military installation, on which Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and injured 32 others in a 2009 mass shooting, has seen more than its share of bloodshed. On June 5, at a special court-martial convened at Fort Hood, a private (E-1) assigned to 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade was convicted by a military judge, contrary to his pleas, of one specification of larceny in violation of Article 121, UCMJ. His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. Maj. Bradley Knapp. The sergeants identification was found with the body. Authorities said Olivares story kept changing as he told detectives hed left Rosecrans alive near his Jeep, then told them another man had shot the soldier on a trip back from San Antonio. Maj. Ryan McLane and I would like to express our deepest regrets to the family and loved ones of PFC Brandon Rosecrans, Col. Kevin Capra, commander of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, said in a May 20 statement. Morales clothing was shredded and scattered, she said. The soldier was identified as Spc. Vanessa Guillen's death, along with the deaths of several other soldiers shed light on major issues at Fort Hood and some families say they have tried to share their concerns for years Her dismembered remains were found June 30, buried in multiple shallow graves about 30 miles from the base. We are deeply saddened by the loss of any member of our IRONHORSE team and we will mourn this loss as an organization, said Col. Michael Schoenfeldt, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. From Texas Standard: Last year's murder of Pfc. A probe into the implementation of the bases Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program, or SHARP, is ongoing. [3][4][5], Cecily Aguilar, a local woman identified by authorities as Robinson's girlfriend, was taken into custody and is alleged to have assisted him in dismembering and burying Guilln's body. (Robinson) told her he was worried about getting in trouble for violating the Army's fraternization rules since Aguilar was still married to another soldier and he hit Guillen in the head with a hammer. 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.. According to Army officials, that was also the last day he was seen alive, driving his black 2018 Kia Rio off-base in Killeen. At the request of law enforcement, Aguilar placed a controlled telephone call to Robinson, who said, "Baby, they found pieces", and texted Robinson multiple news articles, to which he never denied anything in response. Had Munley not taken action, the death toll likely would have been much higher. [14], On May 24, 2022 the Texas Department of Public Safety released a report stating that "Aguilar later explained why Robinson killed Guillen, saying Guillen saw Robinson's cellphone lock screen, which contained a picture of Aguilar. I always envision myself that something great will happen to me. Olivares claimed the man had used his gun, a 9mm Ruger he said hed sold the unnamed person. 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. The case also drew particular outrage from women in the military and Latinos. Interest in the case has been recently rekindled by the Netflix documentary I Am Vanessa Guillen, released on Nov. 17, which examines her life and death and follows her familys journey for justice. 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. Like Wardrobe, Allred had left the service in January. Morales skeletal remains were found June 19, days before Guillens body was found, in a field about four miles from the base. Further details surrounding his death have not been released. [20] The authorities said that more than 300 interviews and over 10,000 hours were spent investigating Guilln's disappearance. 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. Previous Eight alarming cover-ups and contradictions in the East Palestine train wreck chemical nightmare now spreading across . The woman accused of helping her Fort Hood Army soldier boyfriend dismember and dispose of Spc. He did not report to work the following day as scheduled, Fort Hood officials said in a news release. He had gone to a club and met up with friends that night, his mother said. He was last seen wearing a black Army physical training T-shirt and shorts with black, orange and yellow athletic shoes. No foul play was suspected. Ritter is of course heavily censored on mainstream platforms and is widely condemned by officials in the US government, including those in the State Dept. Chee, 25, died Aug. 30 after collapsing during a training exercise two days before, Army officials said. The tip that led authorities to his remains came in days later. [2], Aguilar was arrested by Texas Rangers and held at the Bell County Jail. Aguilar is charged with federal crimes in connection with Guillen's April 22 death. An apparent bullet hole was found in the back passenger door, the news station reported. As you know, there has been a lot of updates since we last spoke. No further details have been released. In the 1970s, a 26-year-old army doctor fatally stabbed his pregnant wife, 5-year-old daughter, and 2-year-old daughter, as reported in The Fayetteville Observer. 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. 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. The case remains unresolved, though Stars and Stripes reported that a redacted copy of investigative reports shows a total of 15 people either witnessed Jones killing or were believed to be involved. "[27], A mural in honor of Guilln was created in her hometown of Houston by a local artist. His awards and decorations include two Army Accommodation Medals, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. Guillen was believed to have been bludgeoned to death at the base by a fellow soldier, Spc. Sawyer, 29, was found unresponsive at his post residence on March 5, Stars and Stripes reported. [45] The investigation found that there was a "permissive environment for sexual assault and sexual harassment at Fort Hood. On April 24, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command posted a news release asking for the publics help in finding her. Ofelia Miramontez, a spokesperson for the Killeen Police Department, said the case has been exceptionally cleared, which she said means elements beyond the control of investigators have prevented the arrest and indictment of a suspect. Guillens family and their attorney alleged that the missing soldier had told them that she had suffered sexual harassment at Fort Hood. 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. Army officials confirmed on Saturday that the sergeant had been the alleged victim of abusive sexual contact, NBC News reported. Officers in the area located the suspect at a nearby convenience store. Family hopeful for answers after police reopen case into Fort Hood soldier's death By Olivia Levada Texas PUBLISHED 4:24 PM CT Apr. Officials recently reported the base has the highest number of cases of soldier murders and sexual assaults among all Army installations. Last year, at least 39. 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. Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, III Corps deputy commanding general, said the investigation includes an assessment of whether the command climate is supportive of soldiers reporting incidents of sexual harassment and sexual assault and the identification of any systemic issues with the SHARP program. 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. 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. Robinson, 20, was identified as a suspect in the disappearance of Guillen as an attorney for the victims family claimed he also attacked Guillen with a hammer and dismembered her body with a machete. [9] Her car keys, identification card, bank card, and barracks key were found inside the armory where she worked. Fernandes mother, Ailiana Fernandes, told NBC News that her son had been hospitalized for several days prior to his disappearance. When they entered the unit, they found Delacruz, Cline and Allred dead. An investigation is ongoing and authorities suspect foul play. So, you know, this, again, shouldnt have happened. 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. 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. Unfortunately, we will probably never have the real answer or the real truth. Fernandes, Brautigam said in a statement. Ailiana Fernandes and other family members have traveled to Texas from Massachusetts to seek answers about Elder Fernandes disappearance. And now shes not with us. Just say the hashtag, #IamVanessaGuillen. Justice Department officials said in court documents that Specialist Robinson told Ms. Aguilar that he repeatedly struck Specialist Guillen on the head with a hammer, killing her, and hid her body in a large box. 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. Specialist Aton was a professional, committed to the mission. Wardrobe, 20, who was a former Fort Hood soldier, was allegedly shot dead March 23 in a dispute with 22-year-old Spc. after an independent committee reviewed the CID detachment at Fort Hood, in Texas. Anyone can read what you share. At this time, there is no connection between the disappearance of Sgt. KIRO 7 News Seattle facebook feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle twitter feed(Opens a new window), KIRO 7 News Seattle youtube feed(Opens a new window), Fort Hood officials said in a news release, Guillens remains were found June 30, buried in multiple shallow graves, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, vanished after a night out with friends in Killeen, a news release from the police department said, was the third to involve soldiers within a month, regiment commander Col. 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