Hartsfield found guilty

ANAHUAC— In a mostly full courtroom, the jury announced Sarah Hartsfield guilty of murder following eight days of testimony. 

With Judge Chap B. Cain III presiding over the 253rd District Court, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, Hartsfield was found guilty of killing her husband, Joseph Hartsfield, 46. 

Joseph, who had Type 1 diabetes, was hospitalized on Jan. 7, 2023, from hypoglycemia, dying about a week later. 

Upon hearing the verdict, Joseph’s mother, Helen Hartsfield, began crying. Joseph's sister, Jeannie Hartsfield, was also seen crying. 

Before punishment, family of Hartsfield and Joseph’s mother, Helen Hartsfield, provided testimony. 

“Family get-togethers aren’t the same anymore,” Helen said. 

Barbara Stuart, Hartsfield’s foster mom for about four years, took the stand. 

“She fit into our family well,” Stuart said, adding that it lasted about a year. 

Stuart testified that the first notable issue with Hartsfield was Hartsfield accusing Stuart’s husband of inappropriately touching her, which was warned may happen from a case worker. 

Stuart kept in contact with Hartsfield for years after she transitioned to a new foster family and testified that Hartsfield was strict with her children. 

Stuart said when she read a newspaper article about the death of Hartsfield’s ex-fiancé David Bragg in Douglas County, Minnesota, she didn’t believe it was self-defense. Stuart was quickly interrupted by defense attorney Case Darwin objecting, with speculation as reasoning. 

Hartsfield’s three daughters, Ashley, Hannah and Emma Donohue, described instances of physical and emotional abuse. 

Ashley testified she suffered physical abuse for hours at a time from Hartsfield, noting she would have bruises from her face to her arms to her back. 

“She used anything she could,” Ashley said. 

Ashley said she threatened to call CPS but didn’t, because she was in a nice home and was taken care of in other ways.

Ashley testified that Hartsfield said, “If I wanted to kill myself I should.”

Hannah said some days were “great” and some were “terrible,” adding, “I would get hit back and forth like a ping pong ball.”

Hanna described an instance where Hartsfield left her and her sister at home alone for two months after claiming she had a brain tumor, reasoning that radiation treatments would harm the daughters’ reproductive organs.

Chambers County Sheriff’s Office jailer Jordan Harris, who has worked at the jail for about six to seven months, testified about an altercation on May 10.

Harris said Hartsfield grabbed an inmate’s hair “with a real tight grip” after the inmate touched Hartsfield’s bunk.

Harris said he heard Hartsfield say, “don’t touch my bunk.”

Court will be back in session tomorrow, Oct. 9 at 9 a.m., for the jury to deliberate on punishment.