Cecily Aguilar sentenced to 30 years for aiding in U.S. soldier Vanessa Guillén's murder

Sheri Walsh
·3 min read
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Cecily Aguilar was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday for aiding in the cover-up of U.S. soldier Vanessa Guillén's murder. Photo courtesy of Bell County Jail
Cecily Aguilar was sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday for aiding in the cover-up of U.S. soldier Vanessa Guillén's murder. Photo courtesy of Bell County Jail

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- Cecily Aguilar, who pleaded guilty to one count of accessory to murder in the 2020 coverup and murder of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillén, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas, confirmed Monday.

Aguilar, 25, was sentenced to the maximum penalty in Waco, Texas, after pleading guilty in November to federal charges in connection to the killing at Fort Hood, where she admitted to helping mutilate and hide Guillén's body. Aguilar pleaded guilty to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of false statement or representation.

"Our hope is that today's sentence brings a sense of relief and justice to the Guillén family, who have endured such pain throughout these past few years," U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas said Monday in a statement.

"Ms. Aguilar's actions were indefensible, and she will now face the maximum penalty for the choices she made. I'm grateful for our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this case, as their dedication was essential in bringing this defendant to justice," Esparza added.

Guillen, 20, was stationed at Fort Hood when she was reported missing on April 23, 2020. She was last seen in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters. Her remains were found two months later near Leon River in Bell County, Texas.

Vanessa Guillen, 20, was stationed at Texas' Fort Hood when she was reported missing on April 23, 2020, one day after she was last seen in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters. Her remains were found two months later. Photo courtesy U.S. Army
Vanessa Guillen, 20, was stationed at Texas' Fort Hood when she was reported missing on April 23, 2020, one day after she was last seen in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters. Her remains were found two months later. Photo courtesy U.S. Army

Army Specialist Aaron David Robinson was named a suspect in her killing and shot himself to death after fleeing Fort Hood as authorities closed in. Prosecutors said Robinson struck Guillén in the head with a hammer on the day she vanished. Guillén's family said Robinson had sexually harassed Guillén, who had been afraid to issue a formal complaint.

Aguilar, Robinson's girlfriend, was arrested in early July of 2020 for helping to him "mutilate and dispose" of Guillén's body.

During Aguilar's sentencing hearing, witnesses said she and Robinson visited the site where they buried Guillén's remains several times to dismember the body and again to mix her remains with cement.

Despite Aguilar's apology to the family during her testimony, "nothing will ever bring back my sister," Mayra Guillén told reporters in Spanish after Monday's sentencing.

"After three years, it would not be so easy to forgive someone who made us suffer so much," Guillén added in a post on X.

"You received Justice today Vanessa Guillén. Rest easy sister."