The Texas indictment of a woman for murdering her fifth husband has been extended to include additional questions regarding the shooting death of her Minnesota ex-fiance many years ago.
Sarah Hartsfield (48), from Beach City, Texas called 911 on January 7 to report that her husband was suffering from medical distress. Joseph Hartsfield (46), was quickly rushed to Houston’s hospital where he remained unconscious until his death eighteen days later.
Police soon began to suspect Joseph of having diabetes and claimed Sarah Hartsfield’s claims to them were not consistent with the evidence. Police said that Joseph had diabetes and that his insulin levels were “extremely high” for at most four hours before Sarah called for help. They said that Sarah must have ignored Joseph’s glucose monitor which likely raised alarms for several hours.
Cheryl Lieck, Chambers County District Attorney, stated that Joseph was at the hospital while Sarah was there. Sarah said Sarah wouldn’t allow her family to visit Joseph while he was in a vegetative state. She also said that things were moving quickly in our investigation because a lot wasn’t adding up.
Sarah Hartsfield was charged with Joseph’s murder on February 3. According to reports, Sarah Hartsfield is still in custody and has a $5 million bond.
Police 1,300 miles away, Garfield, Minnesota have announced that they have reopened the investigation into the shooting death of Sarah Hartsfield’s ex-fiance, David Bragg. Sarah Hartsfield, then known as Sarah Donohue, was engaged to Bragg at that time. She called the police in 2018 to report that Bragg had “discharged his handgun at her” during an incident of domestic violence.
Police examined the scene and determined that the bullet’s trajectory had struck a wall inside the house. This indicated that Bragg was shooting at Sarah. The shooting was deemed self-defense and the case was closed. Sarah was not charged.
The shooting remains unsolved. A spokesperson for Douglas County Sheriff’s Office didn’t confirm that the case had been reopened due to Sarah’s murder indictment. The spokesperson stated that the investigation was “active” again, as we are continuing to investigate new information received by the Sheriff’s Office.”
Lieck said that Sarah, in addition to Donohue, Hartsfield, has also had at least four last names — Smith Knoernschild Traxler and George — and all her marriages were “short-lived.” Sarah was less than one year old when she married Joseph Hartsfield.
She is believed to have been married to Bragg between husband number three (or four) at the time of her engagement. Sarah was arrested and charged with serious crimes by all of her exes, according to reporters.
Titus Knoernschild, Sarah’s first husband said that he was surprised by her ability to escape from her marriage. “Because of my service in the Army, I had $200,000 worth of life insurance. I was afraid I would die so she could get the money.
Knoernschild later stated that she was glad she was finally caught for who and what she really is. “I am sorry that another person had to die in order to catch her,” Knoernschild said.
