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Fallbrook protests death of Vanessa Guillén, who was allegedly killed by fellow soldier in Texas

A crowd of about two dozen members of the Fallbrook community were at the corner of Mission Road and Fallbrook Street Friday, July 10, to bring attention to the death of 20-year-old Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén, who was allegedly murdered by a fellow soldier at Ford Hood, Texas, where she was stationed.

“We wanted to get some justice for Vanessa Guillén and her family,” Albert Escudero, one of the demonstrators in Fallbrook, said. “It was a tragedy what happened and we want to hold people accountable.”

Guillén’s family believes her death is connected to the sexual harassment they said she endured at the base, which she had confided in them about months before her death.

Many servicemembers have been motivated by Guillén’s death to share their own stories of sexual harassment in the military online, using the hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillen.

Guillén had been missing since April when her remains were found on June 30 near the Leon River, which is about 30 miles from Fort Hood.

While Guillén has no connections to Fallbrook, Escudero said he believes her death is very relevant here given the town’s close ties with nearby Camp Pendleton, and he hopes to make more people aware of her death locally.

“Investigations need to happen, and people need to be held accountable,” Escudero said. “That’s all we’re doing here, it’s peaceful, just want to spread the word out, get some justice if we can.”

Implicated in Guillén’s death is Aaron David Robinson, 20, another soldier at Fort Hood. Investigators believe he used a hammer to bludgeon Guillén to death in armory room. However, he took his own life when law enforcement tried to arrest him.

Robinson’s girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, allegedly helped in burying Guillén’s remains after the pair tried to burn her body. She was charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

Other protesters in Fallbrook said it was important to them to get some attention for a death they say has flown under the radar for some.

“Things like this tend to get swept under the rug,” said Gaby Zinniger, who said she feared that many of those in Fallbrook may not be aware of sexual harassment issues in the military despite being next to a major Marine Corps base.

Another protester, Emily Brown, said she had described what happened to Guillén a handful of times to community members who asked.

“I’ve had to explain to people what actually happened,” she said. “It’s like people might not be informed.”

Many passing drivers, though, honked their horns in support of the protest.

“So far, it’s been positive,” one demonstrator, who asked Village News only to use her first name, Julie. “Not a lot of people know, but we’re out here just to spread the word, spread some awareness, and at least if they can read her name they might go and look it up.”

The protesters even attracted one passerby who said he stopped to join them while out running an errand at the post office, right across the street.

“I forgot to put out mail and I saw (the protest) on Friends of Fallbrook and I thought that’s awesome, sweet, I’ll stop, park my car, come down, ask for a sign and I’m just here, just because of solidarity,” Tigre Pickett said. “This is about entrenched toxic masculinity, out of control patriarchy, and I as a white man fully believe that I have a lot of privilege in this current society, in this current culture. And it’s up to me as one of those people who gets extreme privilege and extreme grace to get away with a lot of crap to come out here and share and support people who need to be defended.”

Will Fritz can be reached by email at [email protected].

 

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