A white horse-drawn basket covered with flowers carried the remains of murdered Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen on Friday afternoon.
Vanessa’s younger sister, Lupe, was sitting on the carriage as it made its way to Cesar E. Chavez High School in Houston, Texas for a memorial service in honor of the military specialist for her funeral Saturday.
Family and friends wearing face masks and white t-shirts reading #JusticeForVanessaGuillen got Vanessa’s body in high school between tears, sobs and hugs. Seven ROTC military members carried in the coffin decorated with portraits of Virgin Mary, as well as the flags of Mexico and the United States.
The Cesar E. Chavez High School community remembers Guillen as an avid athlete who was part of the school’s football, track and cross country teams and graduated in the top 15 percent of her class in 2018. , according to the Guillen family.
Mexican and Spanish gospel music such as Selena Quintanilla’s “Dreaming of You” filled the room as they all waited for one of Vanessa’s cousins to begin the bilingual ceremony.
“Our beautiful Vanessa Guillen is in heaven next to our Lord Jesus Christ,” said her cousin in Spanish.
Guillen, 20, was last seen on April 22 at Fort Hood’s military base. Her destroyed remains were found at the base two months later. When police came in to arrest Spc. Aaron Robinson, 20, in connection with her disappearance, shot himself and killed himself, authorities said in early July. Shortly afterwards, a 22-year-old woman identified as Robinson’s girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, was arrested on federal charges of tampering with evidence to prove he was helping him get rid of Guillen’s body. Aguilar, who pleads “not guilty”, will appear in court Sept. 28.
“It is very difficult for me to stand here during my sister’s memorial service,” Lupe said in Spanish. “But I know she must be in heaven to give me the strength I need.”
“Vanessa Guillen is the definition of beauty and strength,” she said. “But I assure you she’s fine now.”
Staff and faculty at Cesar E. Chavez High School paid their respects to Vanessa while practicing social distance, according to Lupe’s speech.
Singer Ge’La sang soothing Catholic gospel songs after giving a moving speech to Gloria Guillen, Vanessa’s mother, and the rest of the family.
“We will never be able to understand this kind of pain because we are just blood and flesh, but God understands it. That is why he never leaves us,” Ge’La said in Spanish.
The day-long memorial service is expected to end at 8 pm with more speeches by members of the Guillen family and praise to God, like a living pink prayer, according to the family.
A caravan in honor of Guillen is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday, ahead of a private funeral service and burial.
Follow NBC News Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
