Zarrius Hildabrand, a 23-year-old former US Army soldier, shot his wife Saria Barney Hildabrand in the head, slept beside her corpse, then dumped her body down a storm drain before pleading on social media for her return.
The newlyweds, who met at basic US Army training in summer 2022, had gone out with friends to celebrate Hildabrand's 21st birthday before returning home in an Uber. That was the last time Saria was seen alive.
Background and marriage
Hildabrand is originally from Kentucky and was adopted into foster care at age five. Saria came from a more stable home in Utah. She dreamed of being an anaesthesiologist in the military and married Hildabrand in 2022, one year after they met. They moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where Saria was a National Guard combat medic and worked in a restaurant. Six months later, she was found dead.
The killing
In August 2023, Saria organised a 21st birthday party for her husband. They went to an arcade and a sports bar before going home in an Uber. Hildabrand was too drunk to stay out, and Saria found damning text messages on his phone exposing an affair with a woman in Kentucky. He had sent nudes and offered to fly her to Alaska. The other woman was unaware he was married.
In the early hours, Hildabrand shot his wife as she lay in bed, then slept beside the body. The next morning, he used her phone to text her colleague saying she was sick, then bought a large rubbish bin, bleach and cleaning supplies.
Cover-up and discovery
On August 7, Saria's friend called police, saying she hadn't spoken to her in two days and her husband hadn't heard from her in over 30 hours. After she was reported missing, Hildabrand posted on Facebook asking for help finding her, writing 'PLEASE RESHARE AND REPOST'. He told police she left for work and never returned.
On August 9, police arrived with a warrant and found the underside of the bed heavily stained in blood. The kitchen had been recently cleaned. Two handguns and a letter from Hildabrand requesting burial next to his wife were found.
Hours later, Saria's body was found in a nearby 15-20 foot storm drain with a bullet hole in her head. Hildabrand was charged with murder and tampering with evidence.
Trial and conviction
Earlier this month, Hildabrand was found guilty of second-degree murder and evidence tampering, but acquitted of first-degree murder. He will be sentenced in October. A second-degree murder conviction in Alaska carries 10 to 99 years in prison.
His lawyers argued Saria died accidentally or by suicide. Hildabrand said he was still drunk and afraid of being blamed. He testified: 'I remember lifting off the cover of the storm drain and then pulling my wife's body down the storm drain... More disrespect, more self-hatred. I remember I just felt so hollow and empty and just disgusted and just hating what I was doing and hating myself for doing it.'
He also said: 'The plan was to hide the body of my wife and then clean up the blood off the mattress and the surrounding area.'
Prosecutor Brittany Dunlop said: 'He shot her in the head and then callously disposed of her body down a storm drain.' She added he 'acted impulsively, and drunkenly, no doubt - but he did act intentionally.'
