WRONGFUL DEATH

Family of Vanessa Guillen, Soldier Raped and Killed in 2020, Sues U.S. Government for $35 Million

Guillen was sexually harassed and experienced suicidal thoughts as a result, which she did not report for fear of retaliation, according to the lawsuit.

The family of Vanessa Guillen, a Texas-based soldier who was sexually harassed, raped and killed by a male soldier, is now suing the federal government for $35 million in damages on the basis of rape, sodomy and wrongful death, among others. “This will be an opportunity for every victim to feel not only like they have a voice but that they can be made whole,” the Guillen family’s attorney said. Guillen was sexually harassed and experienced suicidal thoughts as a result, which she did not report for fear of retaliation, according to the lawsuit. An investigation into her 2020 death at Fort Hood found that military leaders failed her when she was sexually harassed. The lawsuit was filed soon after a San Francisco court found that military personnel could sue a former Air Force General for sexual assault and that a law prohibiting military members from suing over service injuries did not apply.