BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The family of a 20-year-old Argentine woman found dead in Killeen is asking for legal help after they say Fort Hood officials dropped charges due to a lack of evidence.
- The victim: Lucila Nieva, a 20-year-old from Argentina, moved to Texas in 2024, where she met and married a Fort Hood soldier before moving to Killeen.
- The incident: On March 21, 2025, the Killeen Police Department pronounced Nieva dead from a gunshot wound inside the couple's apartment.
- Delayed notification: Nieva's family in Argentina said authorities did not notify them of her death; they found out days later only after searching for her when she stopped responding to calls and texts.
- Charges dropped: Family says Fort Hood officials told them charges in the case were dropped due to a lack of evidence, as authorities could not definitively prove whether her death was a murder or a suicide.
- Ongoing review: The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel stated it has requested an additional forensic review into Nieva's death, which is expected to be completed in May.
- Call for help: After waiting a year for answers without access to the investigation or evidence, Nieva's family is pleading for legal assistance from the community to help them find out what happened.
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The family of a 20-year-old woman from Argentina who was found dead from a gunshot wound in her Killeen apartment is pleading for answers and legal help after charges in the case were dropped.
Lucila Nieva moved to Austin in 2024 to work as a nanny as part of a Au Pair program. She later met a Fort Hood soldier, got married, and moved to Killeen. On March 21, 2025, the Killeen Police Department pronounced Nieva dead in the couple's apartment from a gunshot wound.
Speaking to the media for the first time, Nieva's family in Argentina said they did not find out about her death until days later, after she and her husband failed to respond to texts and calls.
"We were the ones who went looking for Lucila, no one communicated anything to us, if we didn’t look for my daughter, I don’t know when they would’ve told me what happened," Nieva's mother, Veronica Nieva said.
While Argentinian media reported a suspect was arrested in connection to her death, the family said Fort Hood officials told them on Monday that charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
"They can’t prove it was a murder, but they also can’t prove it was a suicide, so with accordance with the law, they can continue with the military court through these conditions," Nieva's mother said.
I reached out to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. The office provided a statement saying it requested an additional forensic review into Nieva's death and anticipates its completion in May.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel requested an additional forensic review in the case of Lucila Nieva’s death. We anticipate that review will be completed around the end of May at which time OSTC will conduct a final evaluation of the evidence and make a determination on the disposition of the case.
The family said they have waited patiently in Argentina for a year for answers, but they still do not have access to the investigation or any evidence. They are now asking for legal help from the community to find out what happened to Nieva.
"The only thing we were looking for are answers, and we’re still here without knowing what happened since day one," Nieva's Aunt Antonella Nieva said.
"I can’t bear the fact that I don’t have my daughter anymore and I don’t know why, so if there’s anyone that can help us, I'm grateful from the bottom of my heart, because that’s what we need," Nieva's mother said.
Spanish Transcript:
La vida de un joven de 20 años, repleta de sueños y planes para el futuro, fue truncada apenas unos meses después de mudarse a Killeen desde Argentina.
“Estamos gastados, estamos deseperados, neccisetamos repuesta, neccistamos que paso con ella,” dijo la tia de Lucila, Antonella Nieva
Lucila Nieva se mudó a Austin en 2024 para trabajar como niñera; más tarde conoció a un soldado de Fort Hood, se casó y se trasladó a Killeen. Pero el 21 de marzo de 2025, el Departamento de Policía de Killeen la declaró fallecida en el apartamento de la pareja a consecuencia de una herida de bala. Su familia en Argentina se reunió conmigo.
Es la primera vez que hablan con los medios de comunicación.Su madre me cuenta que no se enteraron hasta días después, cuando Lucila y su esposo no respondieron a los mensajes de texto ni a las llamadas.
“Fuimos nosotros quienes buscamos a Lucila, nadia nos a comiunicado si yo no la buscaba a mi hija, no se en que momento me iban a avisar lo que avia susyedio” dijo la madre de Lucila, Veronica Nieva
Medios argentinos informan que un sospechoso fue arrestado en relación con su muerte; sin embargo, la familia me dice que Fort Hood les comunicó el lunes que los cargos fueron desestimados por falta de pruebas.
“Que no puede con probar que hacido un assisienato pero tampoco pueden probar que fue suicidio entonces a cuerdo de la ley ellos no pueden avancar con un jucia military en esas conditciones,” dijo Veronica Nieva
Me puse en contacto con la Oficina del Asesor Jurídico Especial para Juicios del Ejército.
Emitieron un comunicado en el que informan que su oficina ha solicitado una revisión forense adicional sobre la muerte de Lucila y prevé que esta concluya en mayo.
La familia me cuenta que esperaron pacientemente en Argentina, durante un año, a la espera de respuestas.
“Lo unico lo que buscabamos eran repuestas y estamos aca como el primera dia si saber que es lo que paso,” dijo Antonella Nieva
Pero todavía no tienen ninguno. Así que están poniendo fin a la espera —y pidiendo ayuda.
“No me puede quedar con que a mi hija, ya no la tengo mas, y no se porque, entonces si hay algien que nos puede ayudar, si lo agredicia con corazon, porque eso es lo que hoy necesitamos” dijo Veronica Nieva.
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