NBC 'Dateline': From Army veteran to murder suspect, uncovering the story of Sarah Jean Hartsfield

Sarah Jean Hartsfield currently stands charged with murder for the death of her most recent husband and is held on a $5 million bond
PUBLISHED APR 29, 2023
Who is Sarah Jean Hartsfield? (Chambers County Sheriff's Office)
Who is Sarah Jean Hartsfield? (Chambers County Sheriff's Office)

BAYTOWN, TEXAS: 'Dateline' is back to investigating yet another panic-inducing case of Sarah Jean Hartsfield. 'Along Came Sarah' is the newest episode on 'Dateline' that will unravel secrets, stories and everything that stands in the background of the murder suspect, Hartsfield. The episode will be covered by a Canadian broadcast journalist, Keith Morrison. The journalist will take a cross-country trip from Baytown, Texas to Douglas County, Minnesota to bring out the story of Hartsfield. The episode will air exclusively on NBC 'Dateline', so stay tuned. 

Sarah Jean Hartsfield came into the public eye back in 2018, after the Texas resident was investigated when her ex-partner was killed. Sarah was married five times and each marriage was as short-lived as the others. One of Sarah's husbands also came out with the information that suggested him being harassed and he also has a no-contact order issued against her. 

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Who is Sarah Jean Hartsfield?

A 48-year-old Texas woman, Hartsfield, is being held in Chambers County, and a bond of $5 million has been issued. Sarah was first accused back in 2018 when her ex-partner, Bragg, was shot to death by Hartsfield and local investigators deemed the murder as "self-defense." Sarah reportedly has a history of assaulting her ex-husbands. On March 11, 1996, Hartsfield, who was going by a different last name, was arrested and charged with the assault of her then-second husband. When the news of Sarah being accused of murder surfaced, friends who lived near Sarah in upscale central Texas were "utterly stunned" by the allegations and the murder charge. People perceived her as a "very nice" woman who seemed more like a divorced housewife than a soldier. 

A decade-long army career

It was quite unlikely for people to accept Sarah as a murderer. The murder suspect was once in Army and served for more than a decade. Starting out in 1990, Sarah Hartsfield or previously known as Sarah Donohue served in the Army for a year in the late 1990s and again for a decade after 2007. She was in the Army Reserve for almost nine long years. Sarah started out as a motor transport operator but for her dedication and good work, she was promoted to work as an intelligence analyst and was sent to Iraq from November 2007 to August 2008. At the end of her service, she held the rank of sergeant first class, a rank that has prestige, and several benefits both financially and morally. 

Sarah Hartsfield is held on a $5 million bond

Hartsfield currently stands charged with murder for the death of her most recent husband after officials determined he died of foul play. She's held on a bond of $5 million After the news went public of an Army veteran being arrested for murder, previous partners of Hartsfied spoke out about the murder suspect and shared that they "were glad" she was caught for who she was. Hartsfield also has a history of assaulting her previous partners, one of her ex-husbands also opened up about him being harassed by her, after which he issued a no-contact order against her. 

Catch NBC Dateline's 'Along Came Sarah' on Friday, April 28 at 9 pm.

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