Infamous army base Fort Hood is under fire again, this time for failing to disclose the death of another soldier to the public back in March where another soldier died the same day.
As we reportd, on March 13 Pvt. Ana Basaldua Ruiz, a soldier from Fort Hood, Texas, was found dead in an apparent suicide after notifying her family that she had been subject to sexual harassment. According to KSAT, Spc. Katerina Weikel, of the 64th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade, also died on March 13 off base, and it was not revealed until now.
Per Military.com, Weikel, died a day after her 29th birthday. A rep had told the news outlet that they did not disclose her death during Ruiz’s press conference because Weikel’s death occurred off the army base and that there was a complication in notifying her next of kin.
When asked why Fort Hood officials did not disclose the death, they told Military.com that,
“The death of Spc. Weikel was off-post, as a result, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Killeen Police Department are conducting a joint investigation into the death of Spc. Weikel,” Lt. Col. Tania Donovan, said. “As this is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released at this time.”
As of now there has been no further information on what happened.
RELATED: Another Fort Hood Soldier Who Complained Of Sexual Harassment Found Dead
Katerina Died Off Base Ry Reported Suicide
Weikel is reported to have died by suicide off-base however, Fort Hood says that they are still investigating the death. Weikel’s obituary notes that she was born in New York and joined the military after going to college. She was married with three kids.
Fort Hood acknowledges second death of female GI since March. Spc. Katerina Weikel, a military police officer, died off-post March 13, a day after her 29th birthday, prompting investigations by Killeen police and the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. https://t.co/wsuRYtyWgb
— Sig Christenson 🏕 (@saddamscribe) April 19, 2023
Three Years Ago Vanessa Guillen’s Death At Fort Hood Sparked Outrage
Ana and Katerina’s deaths come just three years after Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen was killed in 2020 under horrific circumstances. Guillen’s death launched a huge investigation into sexual misconduct at Fort Hood.
Vanessa’s dismembered remains were found shortly after and she was bludgeoned to death. A day after her remains were identified, Spc. Aaron Robinson, 20, killed himself as authorities attempted to take him into custody.
Cecily Aguilar, 22, was also charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence in connection with Guillén’s death. Over 14 commanders and lower-level leaders were also fired or suspended after a Fort Hood investigation into the death found further the patterns of sexual assault, harassment, suicides, and murder at the Killeen, Texas Army post.
Another Female Soldier Died at Fort Hood. The Base Said Nothing.
Pvt. Ana Basaldua Ruiz, a soldier assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, was found dead in an apparent suicide after telling her family about sexual harassment she had faced in the Armyhttps://t.co/7aKMXhsWRk pic.twitter.com/UJ7Fj6FNpl
— Holly Quinn (@HollyQuinn30248) April 19, 2023