A memorial honoring the life of former solider Vanessa Guillen was damaged on October 1. Footage captured by Sick Made Tattoo Parlor in Killeen, Texas shows a person in dark clothing running through the memorial. As the person runs through the memorial, the individual begins kicking candles, flowers and other memorabilia left behind in Guillen's memory.
Not long after the incident took place, the tattoo parlor shared the footage with The League of United Latin American Citizens. LULAC then shared footage on Facebook on October 2.
"Today, LULAC is asking for the public’s help in providing information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person caught on camera overnight defacing the Vanessa Guillen Memorial Mural at Fort Hood East Gate in the Sick Made Tattoo Parlor parking lot erected by the community to remember and honor Specialist Vanessa Guillen," LULAC wrote on Facebook.
Guillen was last seen at Fort Hood in April. On June 30, Guillen's remains were found nearby. According to attorney Natalie Khawam, she was bludgeoned to death and her remains were moved from the military base to a shallow grave later on.
Officials identified Aaron David Robinson as the primary suspect in the murder. Guillen's family says that Robinson became enraged after Guillen planned to report him for sexual harassment. On July 1, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command says Robinson killed himself after police confronted him.
"I would ask that we focus on reminding the community that the mural is there to bring the community together and bring awareness to sexual assault, sexual harassment and its prevention," LULAC District Director Analuisa Tapia said.
"Our community has already been damaged by the loss of one too many soldiers. We ask that we collectively take care of the mural as we honor our service members who live in that silent combat."
In the wake of her death, Congress passed the I Am The Vanessa Guillen Act. The legislature criminalizes sexual harassment within the Uniform Code of Military Justice and moves prosecution decisions outside of the military chain of command.
Photo: Getty Images