Missing soldier was beaten to death, investigators find

AUSTIN, Texas — Federal and military investigators say a soldier missing since April was killed and dismembered by a fellow soldier stationed at the same Texas base. The revelation followed demands for the Army to release details about its investigation of the disappearance.

A criminal complaint released Thursday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas charges a civilian with helping hide the body of Vanessa Guillen, 20. The document, prepared in conjunction with the Army Criminal Investigative Command and the FBI, says the civilian helped the other soldier get rid of evidence after he bludgeoned Guillen with a hammer at Fort Hood in central Texas and later dismembered and dumped the body. Human remains were found Tuesday near the

Leon River in Bell County, about 20 miles east of Fort Hood, in the search for Guillen. Her family said through attorney Natalie Khawam that they believe evidence shows the remains are Guillen, but authorities said they are still awaiting positive identification.

“The whole thing is devastating, gruesome, barbaric,” Khawam said. The Army said the soldier suspected in Guillen’s disappearance had killed himself. He was identified as Aaron David Robinson. Army investigators declined to comment further on the details of Guillen’s case, saying they did not want to compromise the probe.

The criminal complaint said the civilian arrested in the Guillen case is Cecily Aguilar, 22, of Killeen, Texas, near Fort Hood. Aguilar faces one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

Robinson enlisted Aguilar to help him dispose of Guillen’s body, according to the complaint. Aguilar later recognized Guillen, the complaint says, and helped Robinson mutilate and hide her body.

Aguilar was arrested Wednesday and was being held in the Bell County Jail in Belton, Texas, according to booking records. It was unclear whether she had an attorney to speak on her behalf.

Tim Miller, of Texas Equusearch, who was assisting in the search for Guillen, told KHOU that investigators found a lid last week that belonged to a container consistent with one a witness saw loaded into a car the night Guillen disappeared.

The family had said they believe Guillen was sexually harassed by the military suspect and is calling for a congressional investigation.

Acacia Coronado is an Associated Press writer.