Zarrius Hildabrand, a 21-year-old U.S. Army soldier, has been taken into custody for the shooting death of his wife. The body of 21-year-old Saria Hildabrand, a combat medic in the Alaska National Guard, was discovered in a storm drain near their Anchorage apartment. The husband has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence. The victim’s mother expressed shock at her son-in-law’s alleged actions, stating that he had deceived her during the search for her daughter.
Police have booked Zarrius into the Anchorage Jail, setting his bail at $500,000. In addition to being charged with her murder, he also faces a charge of tampering with evidence. During a court hearing, the victim’s mother, Meredith Barney, requested that he be kept in custody.
Meredith Barney, the victim’s mother, spoke to reporters and described her daughter as an amazing and beloved individual. She expressed her astonishment at the alleged actions of her son-in-law, stating that he had accompanied her in the search for her daughter, knowing that she was already dead. According to Barney, Zarrius had lied multiple times and pretended to be a concerned husband.
Zarrius and Saria Hildabrand were newlyweds, both serving in the military. Saria had moved from Utah to Alaska earlier this year to live with her husband, who was stationed there. According to a criminal complaint, Zarrius reported his wife missing on August 7th. He stated that she had left for work that morning but never arrived. He also claimed that she had forgotten her phone but had taken her purse and wallet. Zarrius said he had been searching for her since then, contacting friends, hospitals, and even the police.
During the investigation, police discovered that Saria had sent a text message from her phone after she had supposedly left for work. This raised suspicions, as her phone was still in the house. When questioned about it, Zarrius denied sending the text and could not explain how it had been sent. Further evidence emerged, including the purchase of cleaning supplies and a garbage can with wheels. Investigators found blood throughout the apartment, and a drone-assisted search led them to discover Saria’s remains in a storm drain.
The news of Saria’s death devastated her family, who had been actively involved in the search efforts. They expressed their gratitude for the support received and announced that their focus would now shift to assisting the police, planning her funeral, and arranging for her remains to be transported back to Utah. The family set up a GoFundMe page to help with the expenses.