Alaska Soldier Convicted of Killing Wife After Disappearing Act

Zarrius Hildabrand, a 23-year-old U.S. Army soldier assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Alaska, was convicted in a court of law for the murder of his wife, 21-year-old Saria Barney Hildabrand. The conviction followed a series of actions in August 2023 in which Hildabrand concealed his wife’s body in a storm drain, posted a plea for help on social media, and misled police about her whereabouts.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

Both Hildabrand and Saria were originally from the United States—Hildabrand from Kentucky, placed in foster care at age five, and Saria from Utah, where she maintained a close daily relationship with her mother. The couple met during basic training, married in 2022, and Saria aspired to become a military anesthesiologist. On the night of Saria’s 21st birthday in August 2023, the couple celebrated at an arcade and a sports bar before returning home in an Uber.

Irish Daily Mirror

• August 7 – Saria’s friend contacted police, reporting that she had not been heard from for two days and that Hildabrand had not spoken to her for over 30 hours.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• August 9 – Police executed a search warrant at the couple’s apartment, discovering extensive blood staining on the underside of the bed and a recently cleaned kitchen. Handguns and a letter from Hildabrand requesting burial beside his wife were also found.

Irish Daily MirrorSoldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• Following the search – Hildabrand posted a Facebook message urging Alaskans to “PLEASE RESHARE AND REPOST,” claiming Saria had left for work and never returned. He also used her phone to tell a coworker she was too ill to work.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• Subsequent weeks – Hildabrand made multiple trips to a hardware store to acquire a large garbage bin, then purchased bleach and cleaning supplies before disposing of Saria’s body in a storm drain. He later awoke beside the corpse and removed it from the drain.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• Last month – A jury found Hildabrand guilty of second-degree murder; he was sentenced under Alaska law, which allows a term of 10 to 99 years for the offense.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• Ages: Hildabrand 23; Saria 21.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• Service: Hildabrand served in the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Alaska.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• Legal range: Second-degree murder in Alaska carries a prison term of 10 to 99 years.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

During the trial, Hildabrand’s defense team argued that Saria’s death could have been a suicide or an accident, questioning why he concealed the body rather than reporting the incident. Hildabrand testified that he remained intoxicated from the previous night and feared being blamed, explaining his decision to hide the corpse in a storm drain. Police reports highlighted the blood-stained bed and the presence of two handguns, supporting the prosecution’s murder theory.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

• “How disgusting is that? I mean, how horrifying can you be?” — Adrian Stewart

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret

The defense’s claim that the death might have been self-inflicted or accidental contrasts with the prosecution’s evidence of extensive blood at the scene, the hurried cleaning of the apartment, and Hildabrand’s own admission of moving the body. No independent forensic conclusion on the cause of death was provided in the sources, leaving the exact circumstances of Saria’s demise unresolved beyond the jury’s murder conviction.

Soldier slept beside wife’s slain body after she exposed his dark secret