Army Veteran Convicted of Murdering Fifth Husband with Insulin

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.