The 2020 numbers add to ongoing mysteries, including a 2016 case where a corpse's hyoid, the U-shaped neck bone typically examined to determine whether strangulation has occurred, was missing. These deaths confirm to many the issues reported at the post . Before Guillen, there had been Private LaVena Lynn Johnson, who was found dead in a tent in 2005 in Iraq. Matthew Disney, 20, of Aberdeen, Maryland, were pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical personnel at the North Carolina military. 20, 2021 FORT HOOD, Texas The death of Spc. That an overwhelming majority of the town's economy comes from Fort Hood makes Killeen a kind of rentier state, in that most of its revenue comes through a foreign entity, which historically has led to the collapse of domestic industries, leading to increased dependence on a single source of income. Oct 13, 2021 An official Army photo of Spc. -. Fort Hood has come under serious fire in recent years, as the incident follows the heartbreaking death of Vanessa Guilln. Far from itthe military was operating as it had been intended. The area, east of Killeen, was built on 109,000 acres of high bluffs, ridges, sharp slopes, and mesa-like hills covered with mesquite and chaparral. On November 5, 2009, 13 people are killed and more than 30 others are wounded, nearly all of them unarmed soldiers, when a U.S. Army officer goes on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood in central. In the same week, Private Edward Casteel, who had been missing from Fort Hood since October 6, was found in a parish jail in Louisiana, arrested after a high-speed chase. Fernandes's family told me they have never been interviewed. Sewell is the latest soldier to disappear from the base after a series of soldiers disappeared in the past few years. Last year, at least 39 Fort Hood soldiers died or went missing. (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) Fernandes transferred to another unit where he was called a snitch and worse. Basic details of the incident kept changing. When Ailina contacted the military police at Fort Hood, they told her that Fernandes was an adult, and that if he was missing, he likely didn't want to be found. Rosecrans, shot four times, was found three miles from his vehicle. The figures coming out of the deaths at Fort Hood are depressing, as reported in Vanity Fair. Fernandes had just been stationed at Fort Hood in January. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. And being mission-ready, the perpetual vigilance it requires, ensures a kind of endless possibility of war, which in turn justifies the $740 billion annual defense budget. "I felt a bad vibe there," Lupe says, referring to Fort Hood. There, Wedel-Moraless remains had been found, long ago decomposed in the Texas heat. Family of Fort Hood soldier demands answers after military refuses to release report on his death Chase Lawrence 4 April 2021 Seventeen months have passed since Private First Class (PFC). But when Kim called the police, they dismissed her, telling Kim that her son probably just "took off." There was a deep cut above his left eye, and cuts all over his legs. The shakeup comes after after a series of suspicious deaths and disappearances that have plagued Fort Hood. Guillens superior confirmed she was missing. A small minority, which bikers call "one percent" groups, and which the Department of Justice calls by the regrettable acronym OMG, or outlaw motorcycle gangs, were the people Wedel-Morales had been hanging around with. Five were murdered. Guillen's youngest sister, Lupe, made me promise to stay at the Marriott, a hotel she considered safer than the rest. "Give me the name and I will report the bastard," Gloria told her daughter, who refused to tell her mother more for fear of worrying her, and also, Gloria later suspected, for fear of reprisal. Fort Hood was founded in January 1942 as a training ground for tank destroyers, selected for its varied terrain. "For nothing.". When his parents rushed to the hospital, they saw that Chee, lying unconscious, had bruises and scrapes on his chin and on both sides of his face. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Maxwell Hockin. THE GREAT PLACE. Radically transparent, low cost versions of high cost generic drugs. The numbers are distressing. He had also gotten married without telling his family, been evicted from his apartment, and stopped showing up to work. If he killed himself, don't they want to know why?". The suicides, which reportedly jumped by as much as 20 percent across the military last year, work out to a rate of one soldier a month. Gloria had noticed her losing weight and pressed her for why. At the Dollhouse, he got to know Penny Morales, a dancer and mother of two. The police too told Ailina that Fernandes was an adult and that they would not report him as missing. Sgt. Before Fort Hood was built, the land was used for grazing by some 3,000 farmers and ranchers, according to Gerald D. Skidmore, a Killeen historian. Escorts should be arranged in advance to allow for coordination with the organization receiving coverage. So when, the following spring, Fort Hood offered a $15,000 reward for information about Guillen, then raised it to $25,000 in June, Kim called to demand the same. A small minority, which bikers call one percent groups, and which the Department of Justice calls by the regrettable acronym OMG, or outlaw motorcycle gangs, were the people Wedel-Morales had been hanging around with. Last December, a Special Forces soldier and an Army veteran were found dead at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where another soldier disappeared in May and was later found murdered. Namely, the military. Women, who make up 17 percent of active-duty military, were doubly bereft, and the case files were awash with stories of the dead. Fernandes transferred to another unit where he was called a snitch and worse. At first blush, such violence at a base that calls itself the Great Place may seem extraordinary, inexplicable even. Staff Sergeant Devin Schuette was found dead in his pickup truck, fitted with a hose running from the exhaust pipe to the cabin, in January 2016. What is behind the violence and tragedy at Fort Hood? Call (254) 287-9993 or (254) 287-0106 to request a PAO escort. In 2009, Nidal Hasan was an Army major when he killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. Thomas Berg, whose son Private Brandon Rosecrans's Jeep was found burning in May, told me not to go out after dark. If she wanted to pursue things further, they advised, she would have to file a missing persons report with the local police. Within days of arriving at Fort Hood, Chee's clothes were stolen. Fort Hood hurriedly put up a $25,000 reward for Wedel-Morales as well. His killers were never looked for properly and thus never found. On August 28, Chee was called into a training run. At first blush, such violence at a base that calls itself "the Great Place" may seem extraordinary, inexplicable even. Fort Hood had refused to list him as missing, and it was only after his then fiance, Paradise Rodriguez, posted a video on Facebook that an officer at the parish jail saw it and got into contact. Many complained specifically of being made to cut grass to ready for such official visits. Chee, like Yazzie, was a member of the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation community, and was new to the base. It was a "heartrending, searing experience," central Texas historian Gra'Delle Duncan said, "leaving lifetime marks on all, and actually killing some" from the psychic devastation that followed. Back in Houston, Gloria recalled a conversation with her daughter not long before, when Guillen had been home for the weekend. (There was also literal toxicity on base in that some of the mold-infested barracks where soldiers lived were technically condemned, according to Maureen Elliott, a military spouse and a housing advocate.). "And how well will that look on your resume? They married in May 2017, and he took her name with hyphenation. May Jeong has written an in-depth analysis of the rash of unexplained deaths at Fort Hood. But the only among the victims may be the institution that them all to. Inside the rash of explained deaths at Fort Hood. The deaths of Fort Hood soldiers have gained international attention in recent months after the slaying of Vanessa Guillen, a 20-year-old Army specialist the authorities say was killed on. At first, Aguilar told investigators, they cut her up using a machete. A few days later, they spoke again, for the last time. But with each encounter, it was becoming clear that the military had not failed its soldiers at all. As distressing as the remains in shallow graves or the missing hyoid bone is the fatalism from soldiers and locals alike. Guilln's death triggered a social media movement of former and current military service people speaking out about sexual assault and harassment on the base. The rolling, semi-arid terrain is ideal for multifaceted training and testing of military units and troops. Also that year, Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach was raped by her superior, which she reported. This negates civic participation, as the state no longer needs to collect taxes and thus stops serving the people, who in turn have no need to pressure the government for anythingthe very dynamic that continues to play out in oil-rich Gulf states. Thirteen killed themselves. Last December, an internal investigation found that Fort Hood's culture, environment, and leadership resulted in women feeling "vulnerable and preyed upon," with no reliable recourse for their very real sense of duress. The small Texas frontier town was also a hotbed of Klan activity, according to Texas historian Gene Preuss of the University of Houston, so much so that when trains stopped in Killeen, Black passengersrelegated to colored carsknew to pull down their window shades to avoid a pelting with rocks by locals. (On July 14, 2020, a federal grand injury indicted Aguilar on one count of conspiracy and two counts of tampering with evidence. Linda Schweers, whose specialist son, Justin, died in a car crash in June while suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, wanted me to be careful of cartels, which she said ran the area. The small Texas frontier town was also a "hotbed of Klan activity," according to Texas historian Gene Preuss of the University of Houston, so much so that when trains stopped in Killeen, Black passengersrelegated to "colored cars"knew to pull down their window shades to avoid a pelting with rocks by locals. His body was mostly intact but for his hyoid, which was never found. He told his sister there were three white soldiers who did not like him. On August 28, Chee was called into a training run. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Search Fort Hood obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. Last year, at least 39 Fort Hood soldiers died or went missing. My caution wasnt entirely unfounded. Lenz was found dead at Fort Hood on Feb. 1. He got home around 2 p.m. and told his wife, Gloria, about the unusual aches. The murder of Vanessa Guilln, a 20-year-old United States Army soldier, took place inside an armory at Fort Hood, Texas, on April 22, 2020, when she was bludgeoned to death by another soldier, Aaron David Robinson. (On July 14,2020, a federal grand injury indicted Aguilar on one count of conspiracy and two counts of tampering with evidence. 16 Apr 2021 Military.com | By Matthew Cox The Army 's People First Task Force on Friday unveiled sweeping actions underway to transform the service's sexual harassment and assault prevention. Robinson himself left soon thereafter, he would testify, to spend the night off post with his girlfriend. Fort Hood might not even stand out were it not for a particularly bad year among many. Dominic Criqui, who served in Vanessa Guillens unit, says that the training had come to feel stupid and pointless. What on earth are you training for? he asks, then answers. Texan sentenced to 20 years following drug-related death of Fort Hood soldier. Later the same day, at 8:30 p.m., Aaron Robinsons girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, changed her story and told Army investigators that Robinson had confessed to her that he killed Guillen in the arms room, beating her to death with a hammer. When Kim called Fort Hood inquiring after her son, she was told the case was the remit of the Killeen Police Department as Wedel-Morales had gone missing off base. Ive even lost myself. (Ring returned to base of his own accord later that day.). Why was Robinson not put under watch? 6 min read. Fort Hood has been the center of a bizarre and horrific set of tragedies in 2020. In the same week, Private Edward Casteel, who had been missing from Fort Hood since October 6, was found in a parish jail in Louisiana, arrested after a high-speed chase. Two days after Staff Sergeant Anthony Lovell, 40, disappeared in 2017, his body was found, eyes pecked clean, face split in half, in a creek off Killeen's seedy main corridor called Rancier, the same street where Specialist Freddy Delacruz, 23, was shot and killed last March. Creating an obituary on Echovita is free. Photo: US Army. he asks, then answers. Traveling in the time of plague, trying to build rapport with people from six feet away, was enervating. The family began posting online about Guillens disappearance and distributing Missing fliers. Simply browse the Fort Hoods obituaries listing you can find on this page or conduct a search on the web site with your loved ones name. Before Guillen, there had been Private LaVena Lynn Johnson, who was found dead in a tent in 2005 in Iraq. Terrie Boley, whose daughter Candance became addicted to crack cocaine while serving at Fort Hood and was murdered in a motel room in 2011, told me not to drink the water. The stories are gruesome, then heartbreaking, then beyond belief. Traveling in the time of plague, trying to build rapport with people from six feet away, was enervating. Thirteen killed themselves. The 20-year-old small arms specialist, then a private first class, was supposed to be off that day, so she showed up in civilian clothesblack tee, purple leggings, and a fanny pack. Eleven of the deaths remain unresolvedsome legally; others for the victims' families. Two days after Staff Sergeant Anthony Lovell, 40, disappeared in 2017, his body was found, eyes pecked clean, face split in half, in a creek off Killeens seedy main corridor called Rancier, the same street where Specialist Freddy Delacruz, 23, was shot and killed last March. Fort Hood officials confirmed Monday that Martinez and Mosley were assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. He had then driven the body to the Leon River and had come back to pick Aguilar up from the gas station where she worked on Veterans Memorial Boulevard, five miles east of Fort Hood. The U.S. Army announced Saturday that a soldier was found dead in the . Most of the groups were aboveboard, even as they were ruled by certain strictures for meeting attendance, dress code, and how to appropriately signal respect. Morta's death comes amid intense scrutiny of Fort Hood in recent weeks. The sense of dehumanizing alienation soldiers complained about was not a symptom of a malfunctioning system, it was its original design. September 10, 2020. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. = Link to a nongovernmental site. Maxwell Hockin, 26, was. The military, Rodriguez said, had known about this but had refused to treat him. Later, Robinson would tell investigators that Guillen completed her task and exited the building. Because what the military asks of its men and women is so antisocial, it must co-opt the rhetoric of the family. "What on earth are you training for?" They returned several days later to pour concrete over the remains. The wave of pain went away as suddenly as it had come on but returned again, and again, and again, over the next hour. In 1941, Private Felix Hall was lynched by fellow soldiers, at Fort Benning, Georgia. That is the opposite of what hes been consistently saying.. Specialist Vanessa Guillen's father, Rogelio, wondered if I shouldn't carry a gun. And on June 19, skeletal remains were found in a field behind a cul-de-sac of a residential neighborhood in Killeen. A few days later, they spoke again, for the last time. There had been a few people, then it was a group run of 11. The Lovell case was ruled an accident despite the fact that a rival club's biker vest, or kutte, was found hanging neatly from a tree near the crash site, while his motorcyclemirror, taillightswas found intact. The very next day, a Fort Hood investigation concluded that Fernandes's charges of sexual assault were unsubstantiated. Rosecrans, shot four times, was found three miles from his vehicle. Far from itthe military was operating as it had been intended. The plan, Wedel-Morales told anyone who would listen, was to use the G.I. After a chase along Rancier Avenue, the same street near which Lovell was found dead, Robinson shot himself and died. Wedel-Morales was thrilled to become a father. But then certain details start illuminating the mystery: that one out of three women soldiers have experienced sexual harassment, according to a recent survey. These figures eclipse American casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq in the same year. A 214,968-acre installation, this is the only post in the United States capable of stationing and training two armored divisions. Fort Hood was founded in January 1942 as a training ground for tank destroyers, selected for its varied terrain. When Elisabeth Finch met Jennifer Beyer in 2019, the two women forged a fiercely loyal friendship, and eventually got married. (The police opened an investigation on August 19.) Rodriguez sensed something was off. "Is it possible Elder was murdered? Chris and Moses friends of Gregory Wedel-Morales at the site of his remains, Killeen TX. Hazel Buck Blackwell, whose family lost their farm, homestead, barns, orchards, and adjoining land when the base took over, said the "closest thing might be the unexpected death of someone you loved very much." March 2, 2023 (86 years old) He wondered if it was something he had eaten and carried on with his shift. A few hours later, Robinson, who had mostly been playing video games, escaped Fort Hood by car. Memorial that now stands at the site Vanessa Guillen's remains were found in Killen, Texas. The corpse had been dead for a while, though it was impossible to determine exactly how long. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. October 14, 2021 Ryan Morgan. Despite 10,000 hours of investigation and 300 interviews, much about Guillens death remained a mystery. (Fort Hood refused all official interview requests for this story, citing ongoing investigations. Joshua Diamond, 35, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Pfc. On August 25, a rail worker in Temple, Texas, 26 miles east of Fort Hood, saw a body hanging from a tree across from a burned-out warehouse near the tracks. Maxwell Hockin, the Central . Maxwell Hockin. On August 17, Sergeant Elder Fernandes, 23, disappeared. Eventually Fernandes rang from the Army hospital. Even then, it was she who had to scare up the $3,500 in bail money, and after Fort Hood sent two officers to pick up Casteel, officials refused to share information with Rodriguez. (His son's alleged killer is in custody awaiting trial.) It was unclear, in 2020, what American soldiers were fighting for. Guillen confessed that she was being harassed by another soldier. Victoria a friend of Gregory Wedel-Morales at the site of his remains, Killeen TX. Amarillo - see the Potter County section below Arlington - see the Tarrant County section below March 1, 2023 (94 years old) View obituary. Nearly 200 miles away in Houston, Rogelio Guillen was entering his fourth hour of work at a nickel-plating factory when he felt a sharp spasm in his chest. ), On July 3, a fortnight after Wedel-Moraless body was found, Specialist Miguel Yazzie, 33, died at Fort Hood after his repeated requests to see a doctor were denied, according to Carma Johnson, whose brother died at Fort Hood. Fort Hood soldier found dead behind barracks, investigation underway Officials identified the soldier as 26-year-old Spc. The disappearance of Vanessa Guilln, a 20-year-old soldier at the sprawling Texas Army base of Fort Hood last April, captured headlines across the world. Gloria had noticed her losing weight and pressed her for why. The back-to-back deaths come just four months after two congressional committees launched probes into the high number of deaths at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, in 2020, highlighted by the . The dollhouse, strip club Gregory Wedel Morales frequented, Killeen Tx. He ultimately murdered her when she was eight months pregnant, then set her on fire before fleeing to Mexico. Soon after, the Temple police, who led the investigation, ruled Fernandess death a suicide. The ancient Greeks wrote epic poems on the subject, the most famous of which is the Iliad. (He was found a day later.) This negates civic participation, as the state no longer needs to collect taxes and thus stops serving the people, who in turn have no need to pressure the government for anythingthe very dynamic that continues to play out in oil-rich Gulf states. He told his sister there were three white soldiers who "did not like him." I will tell you everything. Fernandes was dropped off at his friends house the next day, August 17, never to be seen again. (There was also literal toxicity on base in that some of the mold-infested barracks where soldiers lived were "technically condemned," according to Maureen Elliott, a military spouse and a housing advocate.). The deaths were caused by varying reasons -- gunshots, car accidents and illnesses and all the deaths were under probe. The vast emptiness that is most of the state can make you feel inconsequential, as if you could disappear and no one would know you ever lived. Death Notices Famous Deaths Search Wednesday, March 01, 2023 Audrie Talmadge "A.T." Powell 10 hrs ago Services for Audrie Talmadge "A.T." Powell, 78, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Salado. Green Beret training death special forces training soldier dies in training army training . Ever since returning from a deployment to Iraq in February 2019shipped off two months after basic training for a nine-month tourRing had become withdrawn, developed a drinking problem, and had been arrested for drunk driving. ), Wedel-Morales's death was not the first from the base that may have involved bike gangs. The numbers are distressing. The stories are gruesome, then heartbreaking, then beyond belief. Two witnesses had seen Robinson roll a black cargo box out of the arms room and through the parking lot, where he loaded it into his car and drove away, contradicting an earlier affidavit from three soldiers who falsely claimed they had seen Guillen departing the arms room earlier. Subscribers have complete access to the archive. I am astounded nobody is interested, the Fernandes family lawyer Lenny Kesten told me. Hoover, Alabama. There was a deep cut above his left eye, and cuts all over his legs. A group of soldiers, including Robinson, greeted them. She doesnt belong to the Army anymore, AnaLuisa Tapia, a local organizer, told me. 2023 Cond Nast. Thirteen killed themselves. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Basic details of the incident kept changing. The death was ruled a suicide despite the fact that the blanket stuffed around the window to hold the pipe in place had been doused in Schuettes own blood, and Schuette was found with nine stab wounds across his body, including his forearm and his left hand. His body was found nearly a month later, two miles from the barracks. By then Wedel-Morales had grown distant from his family in Oklahoma, who had not been told of the marriage. So much of reporting is opening yourself up to chance, and there I was, compulsively locking and relocking the rental car door. Yes, simply click Add a photo located underneath the main photo of the obituary then upload the photos/videos you wish to share. On August 11, a higher-up called Fernandess mother, Ailina, to tell her that her son had not shown up for work for two days. Yet instead of being taken into custody, Robinson was placed in a conference room on base, initially, it was said, for committing adultery, which is against the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Around the Guillen murals in Killeen and in Houston, I met people who had lost loved ones to the military, who felt harm done, who saw in Guillen a savior. There were no Black residents in town until the early 1950s. This memory now refreshed, Gloria began asking around for a name and soon learned it through Guillen's friend: Aaron Robinson, the last person to have seen her daughter. She filled out the paperwork that is the lifeblood of the Army before heading toward the arms room, a few paces away. Then they tried burning the body. He refused to send a selfie or get on a video chat and began using a strange and unfamiliar speech pattern.
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