A female soldier died earlier this week at Fort Hood, the same Texas Army base where Vanessa Guillén was killed three years ago, authorities said.
Combat Engineer Pvt. Ana Basalduaruiz died Monday on the base, Fort Hood said in a Press release.
Basalduaruiz, 20, was from Long Beach, California. She joined the Army in July 2021 and has been assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division since December 2021.
Authorities did not disclose how he died, but said the circumstances of his death are being investigated.
The base said the chain of command is in contact with Basalduaruiz’s family and provides support and resources to her family and the soldiers who worked with her.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of PV2 Ana Basalduaruiz, and we extend our condolences to her father, mother, and sister,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Sullivan, commander of the 91st Engineer Battalion. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time. She was an exceptional teammate who will be truly missed.»
Fort Hood shared a update thursday, saying the Department of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division confirmed that “at this point in the investigation into the death of the private. Ana Basalduaruiz does not show foul play, and she will remain under investigation.
«Army CID will continue to conduct a thorough investigation and gather all the evidence and facts to ensure we find out exactly what occurred. Information regarding any potential harassment will be fully addressed and investigated,» the base said in the statement.
Just three years ago, Fort Hood came under intense scrutiny when 20-year-old Private Vanessa Guillén went missing from the military base in Bell County on April 22, 2020.
Her family quickly organized off-base rallies and launched the hashtag #FindVanessaGuillén. social media Campaign.
Two months later, in June 2020, partial human remains were found along the León River in Belton and identified as belonging to Guillén.
Authorities determined that the soldier suspected of killing Guillén was Spc. Aaron Robinson, who fatally shot himself as police moved to arrest him. Cecily Aguilar, a woman authorities say was Robinson’s girlfriend, pleaded guilty to federal charges in November 2022, accused of helping Robinson dispose of Guillen’s body and lying to investigators.
Before she disappeared, Guillén had told her family that a supervisor had sexually harassed her.
Her story led to another social media campaign with survivors of military sexual abuse and harassment sharing their stories online using the hashtag #IAmVanessaGuillén and demanding change.
An independent review after his death found that the command climate at Fort Hood created a «permissive environment for sexual assault and sexual harassment.» Several investigations sparked by Guillén’s death led to the removal of 14 grassroots leaders in December 2020.
His death also inspired legal reforms to help and protect victims of sexual assault in the military.
Key parts of the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act became law in December 2021, including criminalizing sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, improving the way certain officials respond to sex-related crimes through of independent investigations and the removal of the decision to prosecute cases of sexual misconduct. service member chains of command.