Vanessa Guillén to Be Remembered in Upcoming Netflix Documentary and Portion of Highway
Vanessa Guillén's memory continues to be honored with two major commemorations: a portion of Harris County's Highway 3 and an upcoming Netflix documentary, I am Vanessa Guillén.
The streamer will reveal the journey of Guillén's family toward reform within the United States military forces on November 17, as they tell the story behind her tragic and violent death in 2020, when the former Army Specialist who was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, went missing after telling her family she was being sexually harassed on base.
"At the core, this is a story about overcoming the greatest odds imaginable in the name of family, love and justice. This is David vs. Goliath on steroids," director Christy Wegener told Variety. "Taking on the U.S. military, one of the largest, most powerful institutions in America is no easy feat. In making the film, it was incredible to witness a family, in the most tragic moment of their lives, put their grief aside, step out into the public arena and fight for the greater good."
Very excited to announce that I AM VANESSA GUILLEN, a documentary on the life and death of U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guillén, is coming to Netflix on November 17. @netflix @vguillen_30 @findvanessag @WhistleblowerLF pic.twitter.com/l30TvNSqKW
— Mayra Guillen (@mguilen_) September 30, 2022
Guillén, who had filed an informal report regarding the harassment was killed inside an armory at the army base in Texas by a former soldier, according to Variety. The Texas Department of Public Safety also reported that Cecily Aguilar and Aaron Robinson hid Guillen's body after Robinson murdered her by hitting her on the head with a hammer. He killed himself before he could be apprehended.
Authorities searched for Guillén's body for over a month before finding her remains on June 30, 2020, in the Leon River.
In addition to the film, Guillén, who would have been 23 on September 30, will also be commemorated by having a portion of Highway 3 in Texas' Harris County renamed after her. She will also have 20 muralists create an original piece in her honor for every year she lived.
🚨 HAPPENING TOMORROW: The Guillen family, @RepMorales145 & I will dedicate part of Hwy 3 "The Vanessa Guillen Memorial Highway." We'll have community resources available & a local food truck. Details below. Hope you can join us! pic.twitter.com/miNXr01ceT
— Carol Alvarado (@CarolforTexas) October 7, 2022
According to an invitation tweeted by Senator Carol Alvarado, a special service was held for Guillén on October 8 in Houston, Texas, with community resources and a local food truck available.
Guillén's tragic death has sparked serious reform for sexual assault in the U.S. In 2020, the #IAmVanessaGuillen Act was passed under the National Defense Authorization Act and overhauls military procedure when it comes to reporting sexual assault or misconduct.
In January 2022, President Joe Biden decreed via Executive Order that sexual harassment is an offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
