Found Deceased TX - PFC Vanessa Guillen, 20, Fort Hood military base, items left behind, 22 Apr 2020

[hey-Debbie]

Okay I found this so this would explain her Unit. 3rd Cavalry Regiment adds engineer squadron

3rd Cavalry Regiment adds engineer squadron
...“I hope we bring value added to an already rich tradition of mounted riflemen. With that, bringing that extra flavor of combat effectiveness with engineers,” Ray said. “We have everything that you need to support the regiment, as well as stand alone as a combat unit.”

 

[FlamingoLady]

Sounds like her sister tried contacting her sergeant within 8 or 9 hours.

Mayra Guillen said the last text conversation she had with her sister was the night before she disappeared. The pair talked about Vanessa’s plans to buy a new car, she said.

However, Mayra Guillen suspected something was wrong the next day when her sister’s boyfriend said she was not answering texts or phone calls.

“As soon as I saw the clock strike 9 p.m. I knew she wouldn’t be working from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.,” she said. “That’s when I started getting in touch with her sergeant.”

Search continues for Fort Hood soldier last seen Wednesday, family says

I'm married to a career Marine and served in the Air Force myself. IMO, if a family member contacts your command, they are very, very concerned!!

 

[Hatfield]

We know from her sister that she needed a car would someone under false pretenses just say she/he was selling a car just to get her into the vehicle while they drive it? She was last seen in a parking lot...there is no scene then pulling someone in a vehicle.

JMO
That is what I feel happened unless we get more information to the contrary.

If the discussion about a "new car" was really just a new car to her, it may really be a used car that she was going to check out in the parking lot. The owner (perp) may have told her she can take a seat inside to see how it feels even if there were no plans for a test drive. Once he got her inside the car, he could have used a stun gun or some other way to subdue her, like pulling out a knife and threatening her, and then he could have just driven off the base or maybe even stayed on the base.

He likely would have had to have Fort Hood access so that limits who this person could be unless he snuck onto the base somehow.

 

[Boxer]

So she wasn't an MP correct? Why be in the armory?

Armorer is a job category. Like any military occupational specialty they attend training to become an armorer. They keep the weapons repaired, maintained and controlled.

 

[MassGuy]

JMO
That is what I feel happened unless we get more information to the contrary.

If the discussion about a "new car" was really just a new car to her, it may really be a used car that she was going to check out in the parking lot. The owner (perp) may have told her she can take a seat inside to see how it feels even if there were no plans for a test drive. Once he got her inside the car, he could have used a stun gun or some other way to subdue her and then he could have just driven off the base or maybe even stayed on the base.

He likely would have had to have Fort Hood access so that limits who this person could be unless he snuck onto the base somehow.

I’m open to this, although I think something like that (test drive) would have come up in conversation.

That person wouldn’t be hard to locate, and I would expect that to have happened by now.

Whatever the case, if a car is involved, I would expect her to have familiarity with the person she got into the vehicle with.

I don’t think there was a violent abduction in the middle of the day.

 

[Ajs1004]

Which I kind of think that is weird too, right? I mean unless she tells her sister and boyfriend about everything she's doing. My son will have exercises or things he has to do and will not have access to his phone to respond. I'd think at least they'd give her a little bit more time to respond before sounding the alarm so quickly unless her sister knows more information that's out in the public that maybe her boyfriend doesn't know. Maybe the possibility of new crush or an interest in someone else. Or maybe fights with her boyfriend that she talked to her sister about.

maybe they talk a lot. Or maybe they have some thing where they talk everyday at a certain time? I know with my husband, not military, but works a lot. We have the read messages alert on our phones so I’ll at least see it if he reads my text. If he’s running late, I won’t be as worried because at least he read the text.

 

[GordianKnot]

I'm married to a career Marine and served in the Air Force myself. IMO, if a family member contacts your command, they are very, very concerned!!

Thank you both for your service!

One thing I definitely appreciate as a civilian is the number of military and ex-military members who have gravitated to this thread and are actively contributing their KSAs to the discussion.

It helps tremendously to get first-hand knowledge r/t the culture, protocol, rules & regs, security, etc.

JMO.

 

[Falling Down]

Only MP carry weapons unless there is an order to train or activate.

An executive order from President Clinton in 1993 prohibits the carrying of personal weapons on base, also personal weapons are not allowed in general quarters (barracks). They are allowed in base housing quarters but there are restrictions/regulations.

An older article here states that both military and civilians guard the "access control points" for Fort Hood, so I'm guessing Hood is a "closed base", meaning the gates are guarded 24/7.

Soldiers man access control points

 

[oviedo]

We have bare bones information, and not enough to really draw much of a conclusion. The military doesn’t make a habit of over sharing.

My guess is when she didn’t return, it was reported to her command. The way they are handling this though, makes me feel like foul play is atleast being explored.

me too - and by someone in the military perhaps?
JMO

 

[Falling Down]

We know from her sister that she needed a car would someone under false pretenses just say she/he was selling a car just to get her into the vehicle while they drive it? She was last seen in a parking lot...there is no scene then pulling someone in a vehicle.

Are we talking a civilian or military member? Civilians would have to get permission to be on base, unless they work on the base already.

Every active base I've been to has a used vehicle lot, which could include cars, trucks, trailers, campers, RV's, boats, etc.

If I had to hazard a guess she wouldn't be looking for a vehicle during normal working hours, unless she had permission to and would have done so off-post, and thus off-duty. I just have a hard time believing she was kidnapped on base right in the parking lot of the HQ for the regiment she belonged to.

JMO

 

[MassGuy]

me too - and by someone in the military perhaps?
JMO

Yes, if this is foul play, I think that’s overwhelmingly likely. I think she likely knew the person she went with.

 

[GordianKnot]

me too - and by someone in the military perhaps?
JMO

If it weren't for the current climate, i.e., Wuhan-related restrictions up the wing wah everywhere, I would have been asking a lot of questions about the bf.

It's hard to envision how someone who has no business being there would be able to get on and off that base undetected right now, though.

Occam says if she's missing d/t foul play, it's most likely someone who works on that base, either a service member or a civilian employee.

JMO.

 

[oviedo]

Vanessa Guillen Missing: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com
snipped- sorry if this is a repost I didn't see it on pages 8-10 and I'm only up to 6
ETA: it is a repost - I will snip it
Army/Facebook Vanessa Guillen

Vanessa Guillen, a soldier stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, has been missing since the afternoon of Wednesday, April 22. Her car keys, car and wallet were still at the base, but she may have had her phone with her. If you have any information, please call the Army CID Special Agents at 254-495-7767 or the Military Police at 254-287-4001. Here’s what we know so far about what happened to Vanessa Guillen.

1. She Was Last Seen at Fort Hood on the Afternoon of April 22



Facebook

.....last seen in the Hell on Wheels parking lot between 16th and 19th streets on Fort Hood.

Fort Hood is located in Killeen, Texas. This map shows the general location of the Fort Hood base.



According to a Facebook post by a friend, her phone pinged in a couple locations in Texas the day she went missing. Authorities have not confirmed this information and the post is no longer visible, so it’s not clear if this information was accurate.

It’s not known if Guillen was last seen by a specific person or on camera.

.....
Guillen’s sister, Mayra Guillen, said she last spoke with her sister the night before she was last seen. They talked about how Vanessa had planned to buy a new car, Mayra told the Statesman.

2. Her Car Keys, Room Key & Wallet Were Left Behind



Facebook

Guillen had been working earlier in the day in the armory room. Her car keys, barracks room key, identification card and wallet were found in the armory room.

According to Facebook posts by her sister, Guillen hasn’t had any contact with close friends, family or her boyfriend. Her car is also still at Fort Hood. “Something is not right please help me find her,” Mayra Guillen wrote on Facebook.

In response to questions about cameras at Fort Hood, multiple people have said on Facebook that there just aren’t many cameras on the base........
3. She Was Wearing a Black Shirt, Purple Leggings & Black Shoes



Facebook

Guillen was last seen wearing a black T-shirt. ...She’s 5-feet-2-inches tall, Hispanic, 126 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes, the Army shared.

Please help me find my girlfriend her name is Vanessa guillen
Height 5'3
She has 3 tattoos on her left arm
Please anything helps. pic.twitter.com/GZLBkamc4h

— quan (@trapixxx) April 24, 2020

Guillen’s boyfriend, Juan Cruz, shared on social media that she has three tattoos on her left arm, People.com reported.

....
4. A $15,000 Has Been Offered



Facebook

The Army is offering a $15,000 reward for information that leads to finding Guillen, KWTX reported.

According to the Finding Vanessa Guillen Facebook page, which is shared by her family and friends, Guillen was physically active and enjoyed going to the gym, playing soccer with friends, running and working out.

“Vanessa’s biggest passion came to life after joining the military as she did right after graduating high school. Help us find her,” the page shared.

5. A Man Went Missing from Fort Hood in August & Still Hasn’t Been Found
.....


.....
------------
hmm he went missing after getting a car...

 

[tabitha111]

Career retired military here...I never kept my ID on me all the time...and NEVER when I went running. One thing people don't understand is ....we are regular folks too, with lives outside the military. My ID stayed in my wallet unless we were having a dress inspection (HATED THOSE) and then it went in your pocket on your blouse.
If I took my son out in the stroller after work around base housing, I didn't take my ID with me either.
Like I said, it was in my wallet, if I was going to drive my car I grabbed my wallet because my DL is in there and CC, etc. Also, one other point, if you are in uniform, you can walk into any base exchange or commissary (where you can shop on base) without showing your ID card, your uniform is your ID.

 

[Falling Down]

5. A Man Went Missing from Fort Hood in August & Still Hasn’t Been Found
Guillen isn’t the first person to go missing from Fort Hood in the past year. Greg Wedel-Morales went missing in August 2019. In January, Kim Wedel wrote on Facebook: “Tomorrow Greg will be or would have been 24. I hate losing hope but 6 months of no word, no leads, no info makes it very difficult. Please help me out by continuing to look for and watch for him or listen for any information about him while in Texas. I miss him and want him home. Happy birthday baby boy. I love you to the moon and stars and back again.”

She also posted an update this week.

Wedel-Morales was going to be processed out of the Army in a few days when he disappeared, KXXV reported. He was reported missing on August 20, 2019, and was a private in the 150th Composite Transportation Company. He was marked AWOL when he first disappeared and later changed to Deserter. He had just purchased a black Kia Rio 2018, which was also missing. In September, his mother received a Facebook message from someone claiming he was being held hostage and asking for ransom money, KWTX reported. However, the message had his face photoshopped on someone else’s body as “proof.”

For reference, when someone is listed as "deserter" in the U.S. armed forces it means they've been missing for more then thirty days.

Desertion - Wikipedia

When I was in someone missing for, say, 28 days would be given some form of non-judicial punishment, and the time they were gone would be added to the active duty part of their contract. They would also have to do jail time, would lose a bunch of pay, may get barracks restriction and extra duty after confinement, etc. Deserters, on the other hand, are automatically processed out or are supposed to be. Deserters often times have to do military jail time, and often times they are caught because someone tipped LE, they applied for a job, a loan, or credit, or U.S. Marshalls find and arrest them.

When someone would go missing from our unit, usually it was a simple wait-and-see type of deal, military people just up and missing from a military installation or for that matter off-base just doesn't happen very often, that is nothing nefarious is involved. Usually they would pop up within the 30 day period, that way they didn't get hit with desertion. Desertion carries much heavier penalties and usually automatic discharge, might be a Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD) as a general rule, I don't remember.

Desertion is usually what triggers alerts to U.S. Marshalls. AWOL/UA wouldn't trigger an arrest warrant, far as I know.

I would say that with this missing persons deal, it's a wait-and-see deal. I just have a hard time with her last seen in that base parking lot, and then not being seen and there being foul play involved, with no witnesses around lunch time to witness anything. On a "closed base", that is guards at all the gates.

JMO

 

[GordianKnot]

Is the entire perimeter of Fort Hood fenced, or walled, or what, does anyone know?

I'm just wondering in practical terms how difficult it would be to get on and/or off the base on foot vs. in a vehicle.

JMO.

 

[ab01]

For reference, when someone is listed as "deserter" in the U.S. armed forces it means they've been missing for more then thirty days.


I would say that with this missing persons deal, it's a wait-and-see deal. I just have a hard time with her last seen in that base parking lot, and then not being seen and there being foul play involved, with no witnesses around lunch time to witness anything. On a "closed base", that is guards at all the gates.

JMO

I just can't imagine that if she left of her own free will that she wouldn't have been seen on camera leaving at one of the gates.

They most certainly would have had the license plate information and been able to track that vehicle and owner information down fairly quickly IMO

And I think especially once civilian LE became involved if they were unable to locate that vehicle the information would have been added to the missing persons poster.

All signs to me point to her obviously not being seen leaving the base at all that day IMO

The only scenario that I can imagine is that if she was trying to go AWOL and stage her own disappearance maybe she was hiding in the vehicle and somebody snuck her off base.

But I'm having a hard time with her disappearing and not at least taking her wallet and money with her when she fled. Maybe she had cleaned out her wallet or her bank account IDK

Additionally per her sister its seems that she loved her job and had no reason to run away(I know grain of salt)

SABBM

 

[ab01]

Is the entire perimeter of Fort Hood fenced, or walled, or what, does anyone know?

I'm just wondering in practical terms how difficult it would be to get on and/or off the base on foot vs. in a vehicle.

JMO.

That's and excellent question could she have ran off base and arranged for somebody to have picked her up by vehicle off base?

 

[MassGuy]

Is the entire perimeter of Fort Hood fenced, or walled, or what, does anyone know?

I'm just wondering in practical terms how difficult it would be to get on and/or off the base on foot vs. in a vehicle.

JMO.

I’m sure there’s ways to sneak in on foot, but I’m not a fan of this. You’re talking about a significant walk, the chance of discovery, and the impracticality of it all.

If she’s now off base, then it’s even less likely.

 

[GordianKnot]

I’m sure there’s ways to sneak in on foot, but I’m not a fan of this. You’re talking about a significant walk, the chance of discovery, and the impracticality of it all.

If she’s now off base, then it’s even less likely.

BBM:

Put more words to this, please.

I'm not following your meaning.