An ex-US Army soldier has been convicted of second-degree murder and evidence tampering in the August 2023 killing of his wife, Saria Barney Hildabrand. Zarrius Hildabrand, 23, showed no emotion in an Alaska courtroom as the jury delivered its verdict last Thursday, according to Court TV.
He faces a potential sentence of up to 99 years when he is sentenced on October 23. Hildabrand was acquitted of first-degree murder. Saria Barney Hildabrand, 21, was an Alaska National Guard combat medic. She died on August 6, 2023, shortly after celebrating her birthday.
During the two-week trial, Hildabrand's defense attorneys suggested Saria might have died by suicide or accident. However, Hildabrand testified that he had consumed alcohol the night of his wife's death and had no clear recollection of the events that followed. He told jurors he discovered his wife in bed with a gunshot wound to the head.
Prosecutors argued that Hildabrand shot his wife after she found explicit messages indicating he was having an affair. Saria had taken screenshots of these conversations as proof. Hildabrand admitted to cheating on Saria, expressing fear of losing his family and going to jail.
His testimony also included admissions related to evidence tampering. He stated that his plan was to hide his wife's body and clean the blood from the mattress and surrounding areas. He admitted to purchasing hydrogen peroxide and deodorant for cleanup, and a 96-gallon garbage can to help move her body. Hildabrand disposed of his wife's body in a storm drain.
Hildabrand did not report his wife missing for approximately 30 hours after he last saw her. He sent messages from her phone to her colleagues, including one claiming she was suffering from food poisoning, and joined in the public search for her while knowing she was deceased.
Prosecutors characterized his actions as impulsive and drunken but intentional. Hildabrand joined the Army in September 2021 and was stationed in Alaska in March 2022. He was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.