Army investigators have increased a reward offer to $25,000 for information about Pfc. Vanessa Guillen, a soldier who disappeared from Fort Hood, Texas, almost two months ago, according to a report.
The 20-year-old member of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment was last seen April 22 in the parking lot of her Regimental Engineer Squadron Headquarters, NBC News reported, citing a release by the US Army Criminal Investigation Command.
“We are completely committed to finding Vanessa and aggressively going after every single piece of credible information and every lead in this investigation,” CID spokesman Chris Grey said Monday as the reward was increased by $10,000.
“We will not stop until we find Vanessa,” he added.
The nationwide search for Guillen — whose car keys, room key, ID card and wallet were later found in the armory room where she had been working — has also included efforts by actress Salma Hayek.
Guillen, who is originally from Houston, has remained close with her family, including her sister Mayra Guillen, who told “Dateline” her sister knew she wanted to join the military right after high school.
“We last spoke by text the day before she disappeared,” Mayra told the newsmagazine. “She was talking about a car she wanted for her birthday, which is in September. Everything was fine and normal. And now, everything is a nightmare.”
Mayra added that on the day she went missing, Vanessa had texted her boyfriend to say she was going to work but that she would text back as soon as possible.
“But that text never came,” Mayra said. “And no one has seen or heard from her since.”
She said her sister had previously told their mother, Gloria Guillen, that she felt unsafe at Fort Hood, where a sergeant had allegedly sexually harassed her.
Mayra added that Vanessa never identified the person and never reported the alleged incidents.
“Something weird was going on there,” Mayra told “Dateline.” “Vanessa was afraid. And now she’s gone. But I do know that she wouldn’t have just left on her own without telling anyone. She would have at least told me.”
Investigators have found no credible information or report that Guillen had been sexually assaulted, according to the CID.
Mayra said the family wants the FBI to take over the case from Army investigators.
“This happened inside a federal building and we’re still not getting answers,” she said at a press conference last week, NBC News reported.
Grey, the CID spokesman, said more than 150 people have been interviewed in the case.
“We are working very closely with multiple law enforcement agencies to include the FBI, Belton Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, as well as others,” he said.
“We have also partnered with Texas EquuSearch and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to tap into their resources as well. We have participated in ground and air searches on Fort Hood and throughout the Central Texas region,” Grey added.