Fort Hood Soldier Kills Himself After Remains Found

Another suspect is now in custody
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 1, 2020 3:17 PM CDT
Suspect in Soldier's Disappearance Kills Himself
Lupe Guillen, younger sister to missing Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, addresses a crowd on Friday, June 12, 2020 outside the gates of Fort Hood military base in Killeen, Texas. .   (Heather Osbourne/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Authorities say a suspect wanted in the disappearance of a Fort Hood soldier killed himself early Wednesday—hours after remains believed to be those of Pfc Vanessa Guillen were found in a shallow grave around 30 minutes from the Texas base. Police in Killeen say the suspect, a junior soldier who fled the base late Tuesday, "displayed a weapon" and then shot and killed himself after encountering officers, ABC 13 reports. Army investigators say another suspect in the disappearance of the 20-year-old soldier, the civilian estranged wife of a former Fort Hood soldier, has been arrested and is being held in the Bell County Jail, reports the Washington Post.

Guillen was last seen in a parking lot at her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters on April 22. Authorities say the remains were found Tuesday in an area that had previously been searched after a tip. Workers building a fence near the site noticed a foul smell Tuesday and saw hair protruding from the ground. Tim Miller, founder of the Texas EquuSearch nonprofit, says that while the Army hasn't confirmed the identity of the remains, he believes the search is definitely over, KXXV reports. He says cadaver dogs missed the remains during an earlier search. Miller says concrete had been poured over the body, which was concealed with a level of sophistication the group, which has recovered almost 240 sets of human remains over the last 20 years, has never seen before. (More Vanessa Guillen stories.)

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