Sam Amico
A man has been arrested and charged with murder shortly after his wife’s body was discovered after authorities performed a days-long search in Anchorage, Alaska.
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Zarrius Hildabrand. 21, was placed in custody on charges of first-degree and second-degree murder in the death of wife Saria Hildabrand, also 21. Zarrius Hildabrand was also charged with tampering with evidence, Anchorage police said.
Both were members of the Alaska military. Per KTUU:
“Zarrius is a cannon crewmember assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Saria was also a member of the military, having joined the Alaska Army National Guard in April of this year 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment as a combat medic.”
Saria was last seen August 6 near her apartment complex in Anchorage, her family said. She reportedly moved to Anchorage to live with Zarrius about six months ago. Before that she served as a field artillery firefinder radar operator with the Utah Army National Guard.
Saria left her phone at home when she left her apartment, police said. Her family described that as unusual. A few days later, Zarrius asked for help in finding her in a Facebook post.
According to the police report, via KTUU, Zarrius and Saria were out with friends celebrating her birthday on the Saturday evening before she went missing. They supposedly returned home at 2 a.m., and a neighbor reported hearing a gunshot about 45 minutes later.
The neighbor did not investigate out of fear, police said.
Zarrius told investigators that Saria had planned to go to work the following morning and left around 10 a.m. He added that she decided to walk to work since she was still hungover from the previous night and forgot her phone.
But coworkers said they received a text from Saria that she was calling off work, and that the text arrived at 10:45 a.m., per charging documents. Zarrius denied sending that text.
Along with that, a friend who was out with the couple on the previous evening told police Saria made it clear she had no intention of going to work the following day.
“Hildabrand told investigators that he ‘didn’t really worry about his wife’ until around 10 p.m. Sunday, when he went out to look for her by driving around the neighborhood,” KTUU wrote. “He also told investigators that he waited until Monday evening to file a missing person report because he believed she might show up and ‘find it was a misunderstanding.'”
Anchorage police went on to report that they say two guns on the kitchen table of the couple’s home — but when Zarrius spoke with Army Criminal Investigation Division, he said he only owned one gun.
Investigators also said that Hildabrand made three purchases at a Fred Meyer store on the morning that Saria went missing. His shopping list included new bed sheets, hydrogen peroxide, and an empty spray bottle, police said.
Saria’s mother, Meredith Barney, flew from her home in Utah to Alaska to assist in the search.
“She’s just like the most amazing, precious child ever,” Barney told reporters, via KTUU. “She’s just always been looking for the future, happy, and really like loved. She loved everybody. Everyone loved her.”
The Alaska National Guard also released a statement.
“The entire Alaska National Guard team is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Spc. Saria Hildabrand. Our most sincere condolences go out to her family and friends in the wake of this terrible tragedy,” the statement read.
“Spc. Hildabrand officially joined the Alaska Army National Guard in April 2023 and was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company,1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment as a 68W, Combat Medic. Prior to transferring to the AKARNG, she served as a 13R, Field Artillery Firefinder Radar Operator, in the Utah Army National Guard. She enlisted in the UTARNG in May 2021.
“Spc. Hildabrand took an oath to selflessly serve and defend not only the state of Alaska, but the entire nation, a commitment worthy of admiration and respect. Her untimely passing impacts everyone on the Alaska National Guard team. She will be sorely missed.”
