FORT HOOD, Texas — The 3rd Cavalry Regiment Troopers continued their searches for Pfc. Vanessa Guillen June 17 and 18 in the training area near the regiment area of operations, according to a press release from Fort Hood.
Soldiers from Aries Troop, Pioneer Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, searched along with soldiers from the 74th Multi-Bridge Reconnaissance Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade. Previous searches included 3rd CR buildings, barracks, fields, training areas, lakes, and trails all over Fort Hood, according to the release.
“The 3rd Cavalry Regiment continues to aggressively search for Pfc. Vanessa Guillen and we will not stop until we find her,” 3rd Cavalry Regiment Commander Col. Ralph Overland said. “Our number one mission is to find Pfc. Vanessa Guillen. I’m laser-focused on that. We are working with CID and law enforcement and we will not stop.”
Guillen was last seen on April 22 in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters, 3rd Cavalry Regiment. She has not been heard from since. In the days, weeks, and now months since Guillen disappeared, Lt. Col. Edward Gavin, Pioneer Squadron commander, said Tomahawk Troop where Guillen was assigned to, Pioneer Squadron and 3rd Cavalry Regiment have participated with the CID investigation and local and federal law enforcement agencies to find Guillen.
“Tomahawk troop, Pioneer Squadron and 3rd Cavalry Regiment have led hundreds of hours of searches through the buildings, barracks, fields, training areas, lakes, and trails all over Fort Hood Texas,” Gavin said. “In true Cavalry spirit, we have sought to develop the situation by action, not leaving to chance that Guillen may be on-post. It breaks my heart for her family, with so many unanswered questions, but also for this troop, who have many of the same questions and are still searching for evidence of her whereabouts.”
Since Guillen’s disappearance, the regiment has conducted extensive ongoing searches and continues to search every day, according to the release.
"No one really understands how much we're searching; I hope we can find her and as much as I know America has faith in us to protect this country and to fight for our nation, I feel like they should have faith in us to know that we are doing everything possible to find her,” Sergeant 1st Class Ashlee Ibarra said.
Fort Hood CID agents continue to conduct interviews and follow up on all credible investigative leads, according to the release.
Fort Hood encourages anyone who may have information, no matter how minor, that could help in the safe return of Guillen to call CID agents at 254-495-7767 and share that information with them.
