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Vanessa Guillén and her family were failed.
On July 5, investigators identified Guillén's remains a full two months after she disappeared from Fort Hood, Texas.
Seventy-one days is what it took, after a months-long delay in the search for truth. But the main suspect tied to Guillén's killing, Spc. Aaron Robinson, escaped prosecution through suicide, and now Guillén's family is forever deprived of the fullest extent of justice.
This weekend, Vanessa will finally be able to be put to rest.
From Aug. 14-15, the public will gather in Houston, Texas to pay Guillén their final respects.
The ceremony will be held at her alma mater, Cesar Chavez High School in Houston, beginning at noon and ending at 8 p.m.
Houston native Vanessa Guillén's public memorial service is underway today at Cesar Chavez High School, Guillén's alma mater. Guillén's family and friends were joined by their fellow Houstonians to mourn the loss of the 20-year-old Army soldier, who was killed on her base at Fort Hood in April.
"Trust me when I say Vanessa has talked to me. Her smile is out of this world, trust me," said Lupe Guillén, the late soldier's sister, at the beginning of Friday's service. "She's very happy where she is next to God, next to the Virgin Mary. She's very happy, and I want to thank her for giving me the strength, because without her, I don't know if I would be standing today here."
"Today, we're here to honor, remember, respect Vanessa Guillén and her life, her beautiful soul, her beautiful face," she continued.
More than three months after the death of Vanessa Guillén, the former Fort Hood soldier will be laid to rest this weekend after a memorial in Houston Friday.
Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, an immigrant rights group that helped organize the public memorial, called Guillén's death "a shock" to the community.
"It's obviously been a deep, profound impact that we've felt just because she was one of our own," Espinosa said. "She was a student that went to Chávez High School, and then wanted to join the military to give back to her country. And it is tragic that she died in the manner that she did. And it's tragic that this even had to happen."
Espinosa said the family has helped turn the tragedy into an organizing effort to get justice for Guillén and "all the other people that have suffered injustices in the U.S. military."
HOUSTON, TX — Tomorrow, Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29) will be donating 3,000 N95 masks to El Centro de Corazon Clinic as part of her efforts to ensure that everyone in the Houston region has access to the critical resources they need to remain healthy and safe during this ongoing health crisis. She will be available to answer questions about COVID-19 legislative efforts back in Washington, today's Democratic VP announcement, and other news of the day.
Information:
Legislation that would require the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and state governments to collect and report data about COVID-19 in correctional facilities was introduced in Congress.
Prisons and jails have become hotspots for the spread of COVID-19, as the 10 largest "clusters" of cases in the United States are at correctional facilities. However, lawmakers say there is a lack of publicly-available data from the BOP, the USMS, and state and local governments about the spread and management of COVID-19 in correctional facilities.
HOUSTON, TX - Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) participated in a press conference with local elected and community leaders on the importance of the Latino community taking advantage of free COVID-19 testing sites across the Houston region, including the El Salvador Consulate of Houston.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The rise in COVID-19 infections across southeast Texas has exposed some concerning truths about the virus among Hispanic households.
On Thursday, ABC13 brought together some of Houston's medical leaders, elected officials and community advocates for a one-hour, virtual town hall that focused on COVID-19's disproportionate effects on the Latinx community.
Panelists for the town hall included:
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Dr. Joseph Varon, United Memorial Medical Center chief medical officer
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Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, Texas' 29th congressional district
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Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Harris County Sheriff's Office
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State Rep. Armando Walle, Harris County COVID-19 Recovery Czar
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Dr. Laura Murillo, Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president
FORT HOOD, Texas — Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy spoke from Fort Hood Thursday after a day of meetings with civilians and soldiers across all ranks. McCarthy's visit comes in the wake of 20-year-old Vanessa Guillen's death which launched a nationwide movement to protect victims of sexual assault and harassment in the military.
"The murder of SPC Guillen has become a catalyst highlighting sexual harassment and sexual assault within the military," McCarthy said. "The loss of Vanessa has been felt in our formations, particularly here and across the nation."
FORT HOOD, Texas — Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy spoke from Fort Hood Thursday after a day of meetings with civilians and soldiers across all ranks. McCarthy's visit comes in the wake of 20-year-old Vanessa Guillen's death which launched a nationwide movement to protect victims of sexual assault and harassment in the military.
"The murder of SPC Guillen has become a catalyst highlighting sexual harassment and sexual assault within the military," McCarthy said. "The loss of Vanessa has been felt in our formations, particularly here and across the nation."