Jury returns life sentence for Sarah Hartsfield after being found guilty in insulin trial
We’re in the second week of the Sarah Hartsfield insulin murder trial, and jurors have heard testimony from over 30 witnesses so far.
Jurors have returned a life sentence for Sarah Hartsfield a day after she was found guilty of murdering her husband in 2023.
On Wednesday, jurors heard nearly two hours of closing arguments from state prosecutors and the defense and about one hour of deliberations.
Prosecutors presented evidence to jurors throughout the trial, which consisted of text messages, voicemails, and written explanations that Sarah had sent to various people and media outlets over the years.
10 a.m. - Jury returns life sentence
A jury returned a life sentence to Hartsfield after the state’s request, as well as a $10,000 fine. Family members also delivered impact statements.
Sarah’s late husband’s brother and sister, Tony and Jeannie Hartsfield, spoke first; however, she didn’t turn around. Jeannie noted how Sarah has left a lasting trail of destruction in almost everyone’s life and has become a monster. No excuse would be good enough for irreversible damage, and said Sarah hated the family because of the love and the bond that they had.
Jeannie also hopes Sarah will grow into the Christian she claimed to be before, thanking everyone who worked diligently on the case, not only in bringing justice for Joseph Hartfield, but justice for everyone negatively impacted by Sarah’s actions throughout her life.
Their mother, Helen Hartsfield, did not want to speak.
9:30 a.m. - Closing Arguments begin
During closing arguments of the punishment phase of Sarah Hartsfield’s insulin murder trial, Chambers County prosecutor Mallory Vargas asked the jury to sentence her to life in prison.
She said it would be the only clear way for Chambers County to send a clear and decisive message to “serial killers,” noting that what the defendant did has forever changed the people who loved her husband, Joseph Hartsfield.
The defense asked the jury to consider a sentence that would allow her to, at some point, see her children in the future. Attorney Case Darwin argued that although it’s clear her children don’t like her, it would give Sarah something to work toward in the future. He also noted her time in the military.
Darwin told the jury that no one knows what it’s like to be a child victim of sexual abuse or to grow up in the foster care system, which were both parts of Sarah’s childhood. He acknowledged that Sarah is not a victim and needs time to think about what she has done.
The jury started deliberating a sentence just before 9:30 on Thursday morning, the ninth day of her murder trial.
9:00 a.m. - Court back in session
