LULAC STANDS WITH THE MOTHER OF THE SLAIN LATINA U.S. ARMY SOLDIER AS SHE DOUBLES REWARD TO CATCH HER DAUGHTER'S KILLER
Nation's Largest and Oldest Latino Civil Rights Organization Urges the Public to Help Carmen Aguilar
Dallas, Texas – Domingo Garcia, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said at a press conference Saturday that LULAC is in solidarity with Carmen Aguilar, the grieving mother of Pfc. Katia Duenas-Aguilar, a 23-year-old Latina U.S. Army soldier who was tragically slain a week ago. Aguilar has taken a profound step by doubling the reward to $55,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her daughter's killer. LULAC echoes her plea for justice and urges the public to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice.
"LULAC stands with Carmen Aguilar, mother of the young woman, an army soldier serving her country far from home, whose life has been taken, and we must have justice," says Garcia. "For this mother to commit, not just money but her total soul, to finding whoever did this deserves our complete and unequivocal support. LULAC urges anyone with information to come forward and speak to law enforcement to help identify, arrest, and convict the person responsible," he added.
Pfc. Katia Duenas-Aguilar, an information technology specialist, enlisted in the Army in 2018. After completing her basic training at Fort Eisenhower, Georgia, she was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in 2019. Katia was from Mesquite, Texas, where she grew up. Her mother and a 4-year-old son survive her.
The Clarksville Police Department responded to an emergency call at approximately 8:33 p.m. last Saturday and discovered Duenas-Aguilar's body. The investigation is ongoing, involving both military and local law enforcement agencies.
In a heartfelt appeal, Carmen Aguilar has committed $30,000 to the reward fund initially established with $25,000 by LULAC National President Domingo Garcia. This increase underscores her relentless determination to find her daughter's killer and bring them to justice. Aguilar's plea calls on the community and the nation to assist in this critical endeavor.
The tragedy of Katia Duenas-Aguilar echoes the painful memories of other fallen soldiers, such as U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen, whose murder in 2020 at Fort Hood, Texas, sparked national outrage and led to significant policy changes aimed at protecting service members from violence and abuse while in the military.
"LULAC will not rest until our service members who leave their families and homes to go defend our country are safe wherever they live," says Garcia. "Since the killing of U.S. Army Specialist Guillen, LULAC has been working with the Army and the Pentagon to pass and enforce legislation that protects Latino service members and others from military sexual trauma (MST). While we do not yet know the circumstances surrounding Katia's death, we call for a thorough and transparent investigation so that all facts about her killing are brought to light. This is the only way that our communities' trust can be fully restored so that our families will support sending their sons and daughters and loved ones into our armed forces," said Garcia.
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