Sarah Hartsfield, an Army veteran and mother of four, was convicted of first-degree murder on October 8, 2025, in the death of her fifth husband, Joseph Hartsfield, 46, who died from insulin poisoning in January 2023 in Beach City, Chambers County, Texas.
Joseph collapsed at the couple's home and was transported to a Baytown hospital on January 7, 2023, where he remained in a coma for weeks before dying from complications related to toxic insulin exposure. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death, and investigators discovered insulin pens on his side of the bed—a critical detail that would anchor the prosecution's case.
The evidence against Hartsfield was damning. She delayed calling 911 after her husband's collapse, and phone records contradicted her account that she had been asleep recovering from surgery. Investigators found she was actively using Facebook, making grocery purchases, and using banking apps while supposedly incapacitated. She had even set herself as Joseph's Apple Legacy Contact during this period—actions inconsistent with her claims to hospital staff and detectives.
The couple's marriage, which lasted approximately 11 months, was volatile. Court documents describe a "whirlwind relationship" marked by constant conflict, and Joseph had been planning to leave Sarah when he died. Their rapid courtship began online, but friends and family grew concerned about the relationship's toxicity.
The trial lasted seven days, with a jury of eight men and four women hearing testimony from prosecutors who presented the circumstantial and physical evidence linking Hartsfield to Joseph's death. Deliberations were swift—jurors needed just over one hour to reach a guilty verdict. The following day, after less than an hour of jury deliberation on sentencing, the judge imposed the maximum penalty: life in prison plus a $10,000 fine.
Hartsfield has since been transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system and is currently incarcerated at the Hobby Unit in Marlin, Texas. She has filed a Notice of Appeal for both her conviction and sentence, though appeal counsel changes have complicated the process.
The conviction has cast a shadow over Hartsfield's past. In 2018, she shot and killed her fiancé, David Bragg, in Minnesota—a case she claimed was self-defense. A grand jury initially ruled the shooting justified, clearing her of wrongdoing. However, that Minnesota case was reopened following her 2023 arrest for Joseph's murder. Law enforcement has also indicated potential connections to other deaths and noted that prior partners have described patterns of abuse and threats from Hartsfield.
