Vanessa Guillen, the Army soldier who was murdered and dismembered in April 2020, was killed to cover up a romantic affair at the base in Fort Hood, Texas, according to an investigation.

In a document filed in federal court by the Texas Department of Public Safety on May 19, detectives detailed an interview they conducted with Cecily Aguilar, who was dating Aaron Robinson, the soldier responsible for killing Guillen.

Aguilar said that Robinson was worried that he would get in trouble with the Army after Guillen discovered he was carrying out a romantic affair with Aguilar. To cover his tracks, Robinson panicked, striking Guillen in the head with a hammer and killing her.

“He told her he was worried about getting in trouble for violating the Army’s fraternization rules since Aguilar was still married to another soldier and he hit Guillen in the head with a hammer,” the detective wrote in the filing.

Detectives said Robinson then enlisted Aguilar to help him dispose of Guillen’s body off-base in the nearby woods. The two proceeded to dismember the soldier and dispose of her bones in "three or four holes" near a river, believing that they "would not be discovered for a couple of years."

That did not go according to plan. Guillen’s remains were discovered on June 30 after investigators say local wildlife dug up the remains, prompting investigators to seek out Aguilar for an interview. Soon after, Robinson was taken into custody at Fort Hood, but the soldier escaped that evening and fled the base.

Early the next morning, local police tracked down Robinson, who killed himself with a handgun. Aguilar, who initially cooperated with investigators, admitted to her involvement in disposing of Guillen’s body after the murder.

In July 2020, Aguilar was charged with evidence tampering. She is seeking to have a judge toss out her confession to police in which she admitted to assisting Robinson in the cover-up.

Guillen’s family slammed the move and called for Aguilar to be held accountable for her actions.

"The American people deserve to know the truth. Cecily Aguilar will continue to do anything she can to get away with the heinous crime she committed," said Guillen family attorney Natalie Khawam. "We pray Cecily gets the maximum sentencing so that justice is served to Vanessa's family, and everyone who supports Justice for Vanessa."

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