Following an emotional public memorial ceremony, Vanessa Guillen was honored at a private funeral service. For her obituary, visitors gathered in front of Holy Name Catholic Church, which was encircled by American flags. Her body was buried at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home and Forest Park Lawndale in Houston, Texas.
Vanessa Guillen was a 20-year-old soldier in the United States Army's Regimental Engineer Squadron who was murdered by another soldier, Aaron David Robinson, while stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. She was her parents' eldest child and a role model for her younger sisters, but one of her coworkers brutally beat her to death.
Her mother Gloria Guillen revealed in an interview that Vanessa originally thought about joining the military at the age of six to protect her hometown and country. She joined the Army before completing her studies at Cesar Chavez High School because she had hoped for a better life and a strong feeling of patriotism.
Vanessa Guillen was born in Houston, Texas, in the United States on September 30, 1999. She was one of a total of six children. Vanessa's parents are immigrants from Mexico. Gloria Guillen looked after the family while her father, Rogelio Guillén, worked as a machine operator.
Following Vanessa's murder, various loopholes for the US Military were revealed, prompting demonstrations across the country. Guillen's passing made everyone consider how they can feel secure when a soldier is not, especially inside one of the biggest military facilities in the nation. Her lawyer, and people online, are deeply invested in this case and wonder how her funerals were held. Read this article to know all about Vanessa Guillen’s funeral.
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Vanessa Guillen was honored at a private funeral service following an emotional public memorial service. In front of Holy Name Catholic Church, which was encircled by American flags, people gathered. Vanessa's body was met by family and friends inside the high school amid tears, sobs, and hugs while wearing face masks and white t-shirts that say #JusticeForVanessaGuillen.
Seven ROTC soldiers carried the coffin that was adorned with images of the Virgin Mary and the flags of Mexico and the United States. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, and Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pea were among those visible outside before the event. Turner mentioned that Guillen participated in the Hire Houston Youth program before joining the Army. Turner further stated:
Even though she has tragically died young, her legacy will be long-lasting, Bringing a great deal of change within the military and she's Houston's own. That's what makes us so very proud.
The Houston Police Department had been providing a special escort for the family, similar to what had been provided after the death of Houston native George Floyd. Following the ceremony, Guillen's relatives and friends were seen to be praying over the casket before the doves were released. Guillen was laid to rest in southeast Houston at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home.
The day before Guillen's funeral, the community had the opportunity to say their final goodbyes at her alma mater, Cesar Chavez High School. Guillen's casket was transported to the school by a horse-drawn carriage. Guillen's casket was transported in a hearse from a funeral home for a Veterans Memorial cruise before the memorial began. To remember her time playing soccer at Cesar Chavez, the coffin was then put into the horse-drawn carriage along the trip to the high school. There, it made a few laps around the soccer field.
Guillen, 20, was last seen on April 22 at the military facility Fort Hood. Two months later, her dismembered bones were discovered near the base. Authorities alleged in early July that when police moved in to arrest Spc. Aaron Robinson, 20, in connection with her disappearance, shot and killed himself. Soon after, Cecily Aguilar, Robinson's girlfriend, was detained on federal charges of tampering with evidence for allegedly assisting him in disposing of Guillen's body.
People all around the united states expressed their sincere condolences and obituary to the family and friends of Guillen and urged them to stay strong during these hard times. People online are also demanding justice for the Deceased and questioning the security and regulations of the military base.
The case of Guillen has shaken the military authorities and they are finding better security and policies for the military facilities so that the same incidents aren't repeated in the future.