'I Am Vanessa Guillen': Six Other Scandals to Have Plagued Fort Hood

I Am Vanessa Guillen is a powerful documentary on Netflix about the tragic death of Vanessa Guillén and her family's subsequent fight to reform how sexual harassment is handled in the ranks of the U.S. army.

Guillén, aged 20, was stationed at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas. She was working as small arms and artillery repairer at the base when she was last seen at about lunchtime in the parking lot on April 22, 2020.

Two months later on June 30, 2020, Vanessa Guillén's dismembered remains were discovered buried along the Leon River in Texas. Her suspected killer was Ford Hood solider Aaron Robinson, but unfortunately, before police could arrest him, Robinson took his own life.

Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Aguiler, told police Robinson killed Aguiler at Ford Hood base before taking her body to the river. Aguiler is the only person to be charged in connection to Guillén's murder, for assisting Robinson in the dismemberment of Guillén's body.

Unfortunately, Guillén's death hasn't been the only tragedy to occur at Ford Hood and several other scandals and disasters have occurred at the base, which remains open today.

Newsweek has taken a look at six other controversies below.

Six Scandals to Have Plagued Fort Hood

1. Lawrence George Sprader Jr.

On June 12, 2007, the body of Lawrence George Sprader Jr., 25, was found on Fort Hood's training ground.

Prior to the discovery, he had been missing for four days, after carrying out a solo exercise for basic map-reading and navigation skills. In total, over 3,000 people were involved in the search for Sprader.

According to autopsy records reported by NBC News, he died from hyperthermia and dehydration.

A subsequent Army investigatory report found "a multitude of procedural violations, judgment errors and alleged acts of misconduct by Army trainers that not only contributed to Sprader's death but put some 300 other soldiers in danger that day, including about two dozen who required medical attention."

2. 2009 Mass Shooting

On November 5, 2009, Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army major, and psychiatrist, committed the deadliest mass shooting on an American military base in the U.S. at the Soldier Readiness Center of Fort Hood.

In total, 13 people were killed and 32 were wounded.

Hasan was shot in a gun battle, bringing an end to the attack. As a result of his injuries, Hasan is now paraplegic.

Prior to the shooting, Hasan had been under investigation by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force after he had been in communication with Anwar al-Awlaki, the imam at the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia, between 2000 and 2002, who was under FBI investigation for his radical views in 2009.

However, senior officers at the Department of Defense stated they hadn't been notified of such investigations regarding Hasan before the shootings, ABC News reported.

At his trial, Hasan told the court his motive behind the shooting was to defend the lives of the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan, according to The New York Times.

Hasan was convicted of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. However, he wasn't charged with terrorism offenses.

He was found guilty on all charges and ultimately in August 2013 sentenced to death. He is currently incarcerated at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, waiting for execution.

3. 2011 Attack Plot

In 2011, Naser Jason Abdo, who had been AWOL from the U.S. army since July 2010 was arrested near Fort Hood for possession of an unregistered firearm. He then told investigators of his plan to attack Fort Hood soldiers, according to CNN.

Abdo had applied for conscientious objector status in the Spring of 2010 ahead of his deployment to Afghanistan, with the army approving his discharge. While processing the required paperwork, officials found child pornography on his government-issued computer, and in June 2010, the Army recommended that he be court-martialed.

Abdo denied the charges against him and absconded from the army at his base Fort Campbell in Kentucky in July 2010.

He was convicted on May 24, 2012, of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, attempted murder of federal employees, and weapons charges.

Abdo was sentenced to life imprisonment, without parole, and is currently incarcerated at ADX Florence.

4. 2014 Mass Shooting

Ivan Lopez, a 34-year-old Iraq War veteran, opened fire at Ford Hood, killing three and wounding 14 others.

He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The incident occurred on the afternoon of April 2, 2014. He shot at military staff inside the 49th Transportation Battalion administrative office at Ford Hood before getting into his car and driving to a motor pool building to which he had been assigned, firing at two soldiers on the way.

Upon arriving at the building, he shot and killed another person.

Lopez then headed to the 1st Medical Brigade headquarters in his car, shooting at more soldiers. Upon arrival at the medical headquarters, he continued shooting.

He then drove to Ford Hood Building 39002 where he engaged in gunfire with a military police officer, before taking his own life.

An army official told Fox News, Lopez's shooting spree followed an argument over the denial of his request for leave.

5. Sexual Harassment

Fort Hood has developed a notorious reputation over the years for having a culture of sexual harassment.

In 2015, Sergeant 1st Class Gregory McQueen, a sexual assault prevention officer at Ford Hood, was dishonorably discharged after he was convicted of organizing a prostitution ring.

He had pleaded guilty to 15 counts, including pandering and conspiracy to solicit prostitution.

In 2020, as heard in I Am Vanessa Guillen on Netflix, Vanessa Guillén's family alerted the Army and the Criminal Investigation Command (CID) that she had spoken of being sexually harassed on two occasions by a superior while stationed at Fort Hood before her disappearance. She had also mentioned that complaints of sexual assault and harassment by other women against a sergeant had been dismissed.

When Vanessa Guillén's allegations of sexual harassment came to light in the media during her disappearance, the Army dismissed them due to a lack of evidence. However, a U.S. Army investigation later found Vanessa Guillén had reported her harassment, but that it wasn't pursued, contradicting the Army's earlier claims.

In a December 2020 investigation launched after the death of Guillén, the Army found "major flaws" in the culture at Fort Hood and 14 officials were disciplined, according to The New York Times.

6. The Year 2020

Vanessa Guillén is not the first death to be reported at Fort Hood. In 2020 alone, 39 soldiers died or were reported missing.

According to a report by Vanity Fair, 13 soldiers took their own lives, five were murdered and 11 deaths remain unsolved.

Newsweek has contacted Fort Hood for comment.

I Am Vanessa Guillen is streaming on Netflix now.