A possible motive has been identified in the murder of U.S. Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen, whose remains were found along a river in 2020, KTRK-TV reports.
Authorities say Spc. Aaron Robinson murdered Guillen at a U.S. Army base in central Texas and then asked his married girlfriend at the time, Cecily Aguilar, to help dismember the body.
A new report from the Texas Department of Public Safety states that Aguilar told police Robinson attacked Guillen in the head using a hammer.
The attack occurred after Guillen saw a photograph of Aguilar on Robinson’s phone, according to the report.
“Aguilar later explained why Robinson killed Guillen, saying Guillen saw Robinson’s cellphone lock screen, which contained a picture of Aguilar. (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,” the report reads.
Aguilar is the only person to be charged in the case. Robinson committed suicide on July 1, 2020, as police were closing in on him as a suspect.
Now, Aguilar is asking a court to toss her confession, which she argues is inadmissible because authorities did not give her an opportunity to appear before a judge quickly enough when she was charged, according to the television station.
Aguilar claims that Robinson put a gun to her head and forced her to help him dispose of the body and incriminating evidence.
Guillen’s sister Mayra Guillen said that she doubts Aguilar’s explanation for the killing.
“Cecily Aguilar will try everything in her power to walk freely as we are being denied the truth at this very moment,” Mayra Guillen told KTRK-TV in a statement.
“My sister was a very responsible person, that would not meddle into Robinson’s and Aguilar’s alleged ‘relationship.’ We truly hope Vanessa receives justice, no family deserves to go through this. Vanessa should be here today, defending her loved ones and her country.”
Natalie Khawam, an attorney for the Guillen family, said she does not believe Aguilar will be successful in getting the confession thrown out.
“She obviously doesn’t have any qualms with cutting up a human body into pieces and trying to burn Vanessa’s body,” Khawam told the Army Times. “But we just have to continue to focus on getting this trial to move forward.”
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[Featured image: Vanessa Guillen/Handout]
