Partial Human Remains Found In Search For Fort Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen
In another development in the story of missing Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen, the Army Criminal Investigation Division says it has returned to an area previously searched along the Leon River and found partial human remains.
20-year-old Vanessa Guillen went missing April 22.
The search was originally conducted on June 22 along the Leon River, but at the time, authorities said the search didn't turn up anything relevant to the investigation.
The Army CID issued the following statement:
Due to extensive investigative work conducted by Special Agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, agents have returned to an area of interest close to the Leon River, Bell County, Texas for more investigative work in the search for PFC Vanessa Guillen. After receiving additional information, agents have discovered what has been described as partial human remains after analysis from a forensic anthropologist. Army CID agents are currently on scene with the Texas Rangers, the FBI and Bell County Sheriff's Department. No confirmation as to the identity of the remains has been made at this point and we ask for the media and public's understanding that the identification process can take time. Due to the ongoing criminal investigation, no further information will be released at this time.
According to local news outlet KTRK, the remains were reportedly found within walking distance from where investigators recently found the body of private Gregory Wedel-Morales on June 19.
Officials have not confirmed the identity of the remains, but Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller told KTRK that "the search for Vanessa is now over".
Miller described the discovery as a "shallow grave."
Vanessa was reported missing in April after her car keys, barracks room key, ID and wallet were found in the armory room where she was working earlier in the day.
“I want my daughter. We need to go to Congress, to the President. We are wasting our time here (at Fort Hood),” Guillen’s mother, Gloria Guillen said.
“I am asking the president to help me investigate because I don’t believe anything they say,” she said angrily. "God forbid she comes back dead, I will close this base. I’ll move the Earth and the sky to close down this base because it’s a rotten base. It’s a rotten base."
The Army's Criminal Investigation Command launched an investigation into allegations that Vanessa was sexually harassed.