AUSTIN, Texas — One year after Spc. Vanessa Guillen's death, her cousin opens up about her disappearance and the movement it created. 

“We all had high hopes of, you know, finding her alive and we found out the hard way,” said Uriel Guillen Aranda.

Artwork and T-shirts laid on Aranda's couch remind him of the year of pain and a fight for justice since Guillen disappeared from Fort Hood on April 22, 2020. Before she went missing, the family says Guillen shared she was sexually harassed at Fort Hood.

"We were, you know, out there looking for her, protesting for her, but you know during those times it was just tears and tears," explained Aranda.

Vanessa’s remains were found buried near the Leon River on June 30 just miles away from the military installation.  

“After Vanessa was, you know, found dead, and went missing, then all of a sudden we come to find out, you know families start speaking up, that there’s all these other soldiers,” Aranda said.

Her death sparked outcry across the country and shed light on several other Fort Hood soldier's cases, their deaths ruled suicide, homicide and even accidental. Aranda took his frustration and call for change to the Texas State Capitol, helping coordinate vigils and protests.

"Making sure that we brought the voice from Fort Hood all the way to Austin,” Aranda said. 

The family is pushing for the I Am Vanessa Guillen Act to be passed to change the way the military responds to sexual assault, harassment and violence.

“We want to make sure that no family ever has to go through what you know us the Guillen family had to go through,” said Aranda.

Even a year after Vanessa’s death, their fight continues.