Found Deceased TX - PFC Vanessa Guillen, 20, Fort Hood military base, items left behind, 22 Apr 2020 #2 *arrests*

[Ozoner]

It should be noted that while US military bases have crime rates, they are very safe over all- despite the presence in bases like Fort Hood of tens of thousands of young males. There is no comparison between the safety of US bases and that of the nearby "gate towns"- let alone large US cities.

Then factor in that while there is oversight, US military personnel do not serve in a police state. Surveillance does not track their every move. Thus, it can be hard to determine who a victim's social contacts are or were.

US servicemen under suspicion of serious crimes enjoy nearly the same constitutional rights as civilians. This means that probable cause is needed for arrests, warrants are needed for searches, servicemen cannot be coerced to incriminate themselves and most importantly, the accused are presumed innocent.

In short, violence does occur with in the military as in any other population of humans. Military Commanders do not have magic wands when it comes to controlling criminal behavior. Military commanders also need to investigate and prosecute with in a constitutional system.

It's safe if you're not female.
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The official crime rates only reflect crimes that get reported.
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Most crimes against women in the military are not reported.
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Women are intimidated into not reporting sexual harassment and rape.
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When they do make a report, they are not taken seriously, and the harassment increases 100-fold.
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That's the culture.
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Women don't want to end up like Vanessa Guillen, so they remain silent.

 

[Cryptic]

The official crime rates only reflect crimes that get reported.

True for US military bases and the entire planet.

Police, mayors, military commanders cant really take action against any criminal offense if it is not reported. Thus, if the victim never informed the military commanders that she was victimized, there is little they can be expected to do.

 

[Tricia]

Tim Miller is going to join us tonight on Websleuths YouTube LIVE at @10 PM Eastern.

We love Tim Miller. It will be great to hear from him.

Please CLICK THIS LINK AND JOIN US LIVE TONIGHT AT 10 PM EASTERN!!!

 

[Rosyoutlook]

His whole story is sad. He's not receiving a military funeral because he was declared as AWOL.
AWOLs don't end up dead in shallow graves in the middle of nowhere, imo. Not when they are just days away from getting an honorable discharge and military benefits.
MOO JMO

This is SOP. Since he was declared a deserter prior to his remains being discovered, they need to first complete the autopsy and determine time of death. While it is heartbreaking, it is not uncommon. If he actually did take off and then met his demise, he wouldn't be entitled to his military benefits. It's just hoops to jump through and covering bases. At least that is how my husband explained it to me when I found out and was pretty angry about it.

 

[MassGuy]

I think this relates to the previous posts about more of Wendel-Morales’ remains being found.

This is so sad, friends. Witnesses reported finding unidentified remains in a Killeen field on Saturday evening, according to police. #BREAKING #abc13 #hounews
https://twitter.com/steveabc13/status/1277052252025507841?s=21

 

[insearchoflight]

“This is why we need a congressional investigation,” Khawam told Dateline. “The base command did not provide us with the information they promised us. They were not transparent, or forthcoming. We got nothing.”
Attorney for family of missing soldier calls on Congress to launch investigation against Fort Hood, launches “I am Vanessa” campaign

 

[Ozoner]

True for US military bases and the entire planet.

Police, mayors, military commanders cant really take action against any criminal offense if it is not reported. Thus, if the victim never informed the military commanders that she was victimized, there is little they can be expected to do.

<mod snip> It is incumbent upon the leaders to foster a culture where victims are comfortable coming forward. The leaders of Fort Hood haven't done that.

 

[Nanneke]

I am curious about the instance of someone allegedly walking in on PFC Guillen in the shower. I must be misunderstanding something because I don't understand how it is possible. If the shower was in her barracks room, someone would have had to let the person in the room. If the barracks set-up is like some college dorms, with communal showers, someone would have had to let the person who walked in on her know she was in the shower. A shower at the gym would have had other people in it as well. Was there a shower available where she worked? I am not saying I don't believe it happened, I just don't understand it. If others were reporting her off-duty movements to this sergeant, it seems this is more than just harassment.

I have been in barracks that had individual showers in rooms, but I have also been in barracks with communal showers. I can't remember what the setup was in the barracks she lived in. I had only visited them once or twice a long time ago as my barracks were on West Ft. Hood and newer but I had a friend who was in the older barracks on Hell on Wheels. There were also communal showers in a lot of the work buildings. We would do PT, and shower right in our unit and go straight to work if we lived any distance from the base.

 

[NoSI]

Some highlights from Tricia's live webcast with Tim Miller. Couple of things that stood out to me:

- Tim stated that the military did nothing wrong in the beginning of the investigation as they had "nothing to go on". Sounded like he didn't think that they dropped the ball.

- The items found in the river have not come back from the lab yet, but Tim stated that there is a really good chance that some are related to Vanessa.

- He sounds very positive that they will make progress in this investigation.

 

[NoSI]

Tim described the tip that led them to current search areas as very credible. It came in sometime around Day 50. It sounds like they will not abandon the river, but are working on figuring out some additional/different ways of searching. He stated they have not exhausted all options.

 

[irridescentmoon]

Some highlights from Tricia's live webcast with Tim Miller. Couple of things that stood out to me:

- Tim stated that the military did nothing wrong in the beginning of the investigation as they had "nothing to go on". Sounded like he didn't think that they dropped the ball.

- The items found in the river have not come back from the lab yet, but Tim stated that there is a really good chance that some are related to Vanessa.

- He sounds very positive that they will make progress in this investigation.

I hope to God that Army really is doing what they can. I also wanted to add that I read on a forum that they have been sending in CID from other units in to assist with her case.

 

[MassGuy]

For those worried that CID can be compromised by base officials and command elements, that’s not how it works. Vanessa’s command, cannot “sweep anything under the rug,” when it comes to this particular investigation.

CID is a centralized, separate military investigative force with investigative autonomy, designed to prevent command influence or even the appearance of command influence. CID agents in the field report through the CID chain of command to the Commanding General, who in turn reports directly to the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army.

https://www.cid.army.mil/faq.html

 

[MsBetsy]

I have been in barracks that had individual showers in rooms, but I have also been in barracks with communal showers. I can't remember what the setup was in the barracks she lived in. I had only visited them once or twice a long time ago as my barracks were on West Ft. Hood and newer but I had a friend who was in the older barracks on Hell on Wheels. There were also communal showers in a lot of the work buildings. We would do PT, and shower right in our unit and go straight to work if we lived any distance from the base.

It was described as a locker room or a similar setting. She said her superior walked in and sat down while she was showering. Apparently she told him it made her uncomfortable and that it was inappropriate. She was afraid to report it because he was her superior. Jmo

 

[pillywiggin]

MOO--I am really having trouble keeping fact and rumor separated in this case. Am I the only one?

 

[MassGuy]

MOO--I am really having trouble keeping fact and rumor separated in this case. Am I the only one?

For me it’s not so much fact vs rumor, but what is actually fact in the first place.

I’m ignoring this white van stuff for instance, but I’m hazy on what the actual timeline is (when she was last seen, where she was last seen, when she was reported missing).

 

[insearchoflight]

For me it’s not so much fact vs rumor, but what is actually fact in the first place.

I’m ignoring this white van stuff for instance, but I’m hazy on what the actual timeline is (when she was last seen, where she was last seen, when she was reported missing).

The facts keep changing is the problem too. Initial reports were that she worked that day then disappeared from parking lot. Then we were told she wasn’t scheduled that day due to covid19. Then now she was called in for inventory. And she may have been marked present but person now saying they didn’t actually see her. It’s ever evolving.

I know mom means well and I have utmost respect for what she’s done and her passion, but some of her statements we can’t take as fact at this point.

 

[MassGuy]

The facts keep changing is the problem too. Initial reports were that she worked that day then disappeared from parking lot. Then we were told she wasn’t scheduled that day due to covid19. Then now she was called in for inventory. And she may have been marked present but person now saying they didn’t actually see her. It’s ever evolving.

I know mom means well and I have utmost respect for what she’s done and her passion, but some of her statements we can’t take as fact at this point.

Yes, if we’re being smart, we should take anything coming from the family with a grain of salt.

They probably don’t know a great deal more than we do, as that’s not how CID or any law enforcement agency worth its salt, works.

Any leaks could be hugely detrimental to the case, which sucks for the family, but is in the best interests of justice.

They want information, which is totally understandable. The problem is the command can’t give that to them, as it’s probable that CID isn’t sharing much with them.

So the family gets frustrated, thinks nothing is being done, and latches on to every rumor they can.

Which leads to confusion when they share that information.

 

[Darling136]

Witnesses reported finding unidentified remains in a Killeen field on Saturday evening, according to police.

At 1:33 pm, officers were called to the 3400 block of Florence Road for an area check after people say they spotted remains while in the area.


KWTX-10 said the discovery was found within walking distance of the site where investigators found soldier Gregory Wedel-Morales' remains on June 19.

...

Detectives with the Homicide Unit have removed the remains and sent them to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for further review.

'Unidentified' remains found near area where soldier's remains discovered, sources say

 

[ZoriahNZ]

What are the odds if another body being found buried/dumped so close to Gregory Wedel-Morales'? 3200 block vs 3400 block on Florence Rd. I hope that this is Vanessa, for her family's sake.

Are these two cases related? Is it possible that whoever killed Gregory, also harmed Vanessa? Just what was going on at that base??!

 

[Ozoner]

What are the odds if another body being found buried/dumped so close to Gregory Wedel-Morales'? 3200 block vs 3400 block on Florence Rd. I hope that this is Vanessa, for her family's sake.

Are these two cases related? Is it possible that whoever killed Gregory, also harmed Vanessa? Just what was going on at that base??!

Has there been anything to suggest that a complete set of remains was found?
Some people have speculated that the remains are those of Morales, i.e. that some of his remains were missed the first time.