What happened to Saria Hildabrand? Army soldier arrested over brutal murder of newlywed wife in Alaska

Saria Hildabrand, a 21-year-old army soldier, was reported missing to Alaska authorities on August 7. Her newlywed husband, Zarrius Hildabrand, who is also 21, reported the missing incident. In a shocking turn of events, the Anchorage Police Department discovered Saria's body and identified Zarrius Hildabrand as the primary suspect in the killing. The case remains under investigation, and the suspected killer's motive remains unconfirmed.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a fatal shooting, the reader's discretion is advised

Zarrius Hildabrand is currently under the custody of the Anchorage Police Department. He has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the murder investigation of his wife.

According to the New York Post, both Hildabrand's were involved in the military. Saria Hildabrand served as a combat medic with the Alaska National Guard, while Zarrius Hildabrand is a cannon crewmember with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

---

The timeline of Saria Hildabrand's murder investigation

On the evening of August 7, the suspected killer informed the Anchorage Police Department that his wife Saria Hildrabrand failed to return from work. He claimed that he was at home all day, and only realized she was missing once he tried to pick her up from her workplace at 7 pm.

The criminal complaint noted that Zarrius appeared to make several attempts to search for his wife.

The complaint read:

“Zarrius said that he had been searching for Saria ever since. Zarrius said that he had been to every friend’s house, called Saria’s parents, contacted all the hospitals, and jail.”

Upon being interviewed, Saria Hildabrand's co-workers told investigators that she had sent a text, stating that she would not come to work on the morning of August 6. Authorities later discovered that on that same day, Zarrius Hildrabrand had purchased hydrogen peroxide, a jar of marinara sauce, a set of sheets that resembled those in their apartment, a mattress cover, and an empty spray bottle.

After reviewing purchase records, authorities began to suspect that Zarrius Hildabrand may have meticulously killed his wife, before texting her co-workers from her phone.

Authorities later discovered that one of the mattresses in the house was soaked in human blood, leading them to believe that the suspect may have purchased those items in order to clear up evidence. However, they still don't know what all of the items were used for. Investigators are still trying to figure out what Hildabrand may have used the marinara for.

The criminal complaint read:

“There was so much blood on the mattress that the blood soaked through onto the carpet and into the wood frame."

Saria Hildabrand's body was found on Thursday, 10 August close to the couple's flat. Officials determined that she had been shot in the head before there was an attempt to hide her body in a storm drain.The homicide case is currently ongoing.