A Texas woman will serve 30 years for her role in the death of U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guillén, who was found murdered near what was then called Fort Hood on June 30, 2020.
Cecily Aguilar, 25, was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of false statement or representation in November 2022, a release from the U.S. District Attorney’s office stated Monday.
Cecily Aguilar Receives Maximum Sentence for Role in Vanessa Guillen Murder https://t.co/3SQV9xiTk7 @FBISanAntonio @USMarshalsHQ @RealArmyCID @KilleenPD
— U.S. Attorney WDTX (@USAO_WDTX) August 14, 2023
Guillén was allegedly beaten to death with a hammer by fellow U.S. Army specialist Aaron Robinson, who subsequently hid her body in a large box before seeking assistance from Aguilar to dispose of Guillén’s remains, The New York Times reported. Guillén had reportedly raised allegations that she had been sexually harassed prior to her murder.
Aguilar admitted to law enforcement officials that Robinson picked her up from the gas station where she worked, days after Guillén’s disappearance in April 2020, The New York Times reported. According to court documents, Aguilar assisted Robinson in “corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating and concealing evidence — that is, the body of Vanessa Guillén — in order to prevent Robinson from being charged with and prosecuted for any crime,” the release stated.
After dismembering Guillén’s body with a hatchet and a machete-style knife, Aguilar and Robinson allegedly buried the remains near the Leon River where investigators found them two months later, according to The New York Times. (RELATED: Third Dead Soldier In A Month Found Near Fort Hood)
During the subsequent investigation into the disappearance of Guillén, authorities found the last person Guillén had texted was Robinson, leading investigators to the army specialist. Robinson was initially detained by authorities hours after Guillén’s remains were found, but a series of missteps allowed Robinson to flee and subsequently kill himself with a pistol before charges could be announced, according to another report by The New York Times.
In addition to the charges of concealing and destroying evidence, Aguilar was further charged for making four materially false statements to federal investigators and altering and destroying information contained in a Google account of Robinson, the release stated.
“Our hope is that today’s sentence brings a sense of relief and justice to the Guillén family, who have endured such pain throughout these past few years,” U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas stated in the release. “Ms. Aguilar’s actions were indefensible, and she will now face the maximum penalty for the choices she made. I’m grateful for our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this case, as their dedication was essential in bringing this defendant to justice.”