Protesters plan Pasco rally calling for hearings into soldier’s murder
Protesters plan to gather Saturday to call for justice and congressional hearings into the death of Vanessa Guillen.
Jaime and the Justice League is leading a call for a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the Texas soldier’s murder. They are asking people to gather at Albertsons on 20th Avenue from noon until 2 p.m.
Guillen disappeared on April 22 from Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas. Her body was found by contractors working on a fence on June 30.
Investigators believe Spc. Aaron David Robinson killed her after an argument, and then dismembered and burned her with the help of his girlfriend.
Robinson shot himself when authorities confronted him during the investigation, according to police.
Marlando Sparks, a Pasco man, who has been one of the leaders with Jaime and the Justice League, started a change.org petition calling on Sen. Patty Murray to hold congressional hearings on the investigation.
“The Army’s investigation is not enough,” Sparks said. “The Congress should look into the Army’s actions — or lack thereof — over the two and a half months that Pfc. Guillen was missing and determine at what point the Army’s commitment to protect its soldiers was broken.”
Felix Vargas, the head of Consejo Latino, threw his support behind the call on Facebook. He said, in a post on the protest page, the military should take the strongest measures to protect women serving in the military.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 12:57 PM.