The woman who helped dispose of the body of Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison Monday afternoon.
The sentencing hearing for Cecily Aguilar unfolded in a Waco courthouse Monday afternoon after she pleaded guilty in November 2022 to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of making a false statement, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to federal and state authorities, three years ago Aguilar helped her then-boyfriend, 20-year-old Army Spc. Aaron Robinson, of Calumet City, Illinois, dismember and dispose of Guillén’s body in the woods after he'd bludgeoned her to death. Before police could arrest him, Robinson died by suicide on July 1, 2020, on the same day that Guillén’s remains were found near Fort Cavazos (then Fort Hood).
Guillén had been declared missing since April 2020. Her family has said that they believe she was sexually harassed by Robinson.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
During the sentencing hearing Monday, federal prosecutors called three witnesses before the lunch recess: a Texas Ranger, a deputy U.S. Marshal, and an expert from the University of North Texas Center for Human Forensics and Anthropology, the team that examined and interpreted Guillén’s remains.
Guillen's mother, Gloria Guillen, moved Judge Alan Albright to tears with her victim impact statement. She said she had concerns about her daughter joining the military, but Vanessa had assured her she would be fine. Gloria Guillen said her daughter appeared anxious and unhappy in the months before her murder.
"In my heart, I felt something bad was going to happen," she said.
There was an emotional response in the courtroom from Guillén's family as federal prosecutors interviewed witnesses who described what was done to Guillén’s body following her murder.
Aguilar’s attorneys told the judge she had prepared a written statement. Aguilar was given permission to face Guillen's family while reading her statement. She apologized for her actions and said she prays for the family's peace.
Guillen's sister, Mayra Guillen, said the apology from Aguilar was unexpected and she felt it was disingenuous.
"I'm happy to say that we can, in a sense, close this chapter and keep moving forward with, whether it's legislation or whatever, it is in Vanessa's legacy that's next that we keep pushing forward," she said.
During Monday's hearing, witnesses said Robinson got the idea to dismember Guillén's body from the crime drama TV series “Criminal Minds,” KCEN-TV reported. Witnesses said that Aguilar and Robinson visited Guillén's burial site twice, once to dismember her body and then a second time to mix her remains with cement. Aguilar testified it took about seven hours for Guillén’s bones to break down.
Aguilar's defense asked for leniency. However, just before issuing the maximum sentence, Judge Alan Albright told the defense that Aquilar's persistent lies laid the foundation for great skepticism.
"My sense is there's literally nothing she could say that I would believe," Albright said.
In addition to the jail time, Aguilar, who is a civilian, also faced a possible $1 million fine.
Guillén’s death and claims by her family that she was harassed and assaulted at the Texas base sparked a social media movement of former and active service members who came forward about their own experiences using the hashtag #IAmVaessaGuillen.
State and federal lawmakers passed legislation in 2021 honoring Guillén which removed some authority from commanders and gave survivors more options to report.
