HOUSTON – A murder trial has been scheduled for late September in the case of Chambers County mother Sarah Hartsfield.
Hartsfield, now 50, has been behind bars since Feb. 2023 after being indicted for the murder of her fifth husband, Joseph Hartsfield. Her bond is $2 million.
Take a look back at the case through KPRC 2’s coverage by Bryce Newberry, as well as network coverage by NBC News.
July 25, 2025: Jury selection set for September in Sarah Hartsfield murder trial - Attorneys said that they are ready to move forward with the trial in September, but they are waiting for unspecified records that are still needed.
Oct. 28, 2024: Trial date set for Sarah Hartsfield, woman accused of murdering husband in Chambers County - The judge set an April 2025 trial date.
Sept. 4, 2024: Sarah Hartsfield murder case doesn’t appear to be going to trial this year - A trial date has not been set as the defense is still missing some of the state’s evidence that would be needed to prepare, according to documents.
Aug. 29, 2024: Court upholds $2M bond for Sarah Hartsfield - The First Court of Appeals upheld the $2 million bond for a woman accused of murdering her husband, rejecting her lawyers’ request for a reduction.
Aug. 5, 2024: Sarah Hartsfield gets new attorney representing her in murder case - A third attorney began representing Hartsfield after her second defense attorney took office as the top prosecutor in another county.
March 1, 2024: ‘Excessive bail:’ Attorney for Sarah Hartsfield files appeal to reduce bond from $2 million to $150K - In the written request for the appeal, Hartsfield’s attorney argued her $2 million bond is “clearly excessive” and has resulted in Hartsfield being “effectively denied bail.”
Feb. 23, 2024: Attorneys on Sarah Hartsfield murder case both running election campaigns as trial date is set - Chambers County’s top prosecutor was up for re-election and Hartsfield’s defense attorney ran for then won the top prosecutor spot in Lavaca County, Texas.
Nov. 9, 2023: Sarah Hartsfield asks higher court to reconsider $2M bond in murder case - The Chambers County woman who has been jailed since February asked an appeals court to review her bond that has already been reduced three times this year.
Oct. 6, 2023: Murder suspect Sarah Hartsfield accused of ‘playing games’ before Chambers County judge cuts bond in half - Hartsfield’s bond was lowered a third time after Chambers County Judge Chap Cain reduced it to $2 million.
Aug. 18, 2023: Hearing on Sarah Hartsfield bond reduction reset - After hiring two new attorneys, Sarah Hartsfield, 48, again asked the court for a reduction of her $4 million bond.
June 29, 2023: Sarah Hartsfield hires two attorneys to defend her in murder case of fifth husband - During a last-minute hearing, and after months with a court-appointed attorney, two attorneys from outside of Chambers County were retained to defend Sarah Hartsfield in her murder case.
June 27, 2023: KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry talks with Nancy Grace on Sarah Hartsfield case in 5th husband’s death - KPRC 2’s reporter Bryce Newberry joined a panel of professionals on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace to discuss the high-profiled case of Sarah Hartsfield, who is accused of killing her fifth husband.
May 24, 2023: ‘There aren’t 2 sides to me’: Sarah Hartsfield sends new messages to KPRC 2 from jail - Sarah Hartsfield, the 48-year-old woman accused of killing her husband in January, made her first in-person appearance in a Chambers County courtroom. Judge Chap Cain reduced her bond to $4 million. It was initially set at $5 million when she was arrested after being indicted for murder at the beginning of February.
May 22, 2023: Judge reduces bond for Sarah Hartsfield in murder case involving her husband - Sarah Hartsfield, the Chambers County woman accused of killing her husband, was successful in her second attempt to reduce bond in her murder case.
May 19, 2023, KPRC 2 Documentary: The Two Sides of Sarah: Chambers County woman accused of murdering husband Joseph Hartsfield
May 1, 2023: Sarah Hartsfield to keep court-appointed attorney despite attempt to fire him on murder case - A hearing in the Sarah Hartsfield murder case was held in Chambers County Monday afternoon but she did not appear in person and much of the hearing was behind closed doors.
April 28, 2023: Who is Sarah Hartsfield and what to know about her murder case - KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry breaks down the murder case getting national attention.
April 27, 2023: Witnesses testify before grand jury in Sarah Hartsfield murder case - Two key witnesses testified before a Chambers County grand jury Thursday about the Sarah Hartsfield murder case as new documents emerged in the latest twist of the case getting national attention.
April 21, 2023: ‘Show things in a positive light for me’: Sarah Hartsfield responds after seeing KPRC 2 story from jail - Sarah Hartsfield responds to the KPRC 2 story, continuing to declare her innocence and railing against KPRC 2’s coverage of her case. Minutes after the story aired, Hartsfield began writing a series of messages to KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry using a kiosk inside her all-women jail cell.
April 20, 2023: ‘Crazy to proceed’: Chambers County husband murder suspect Sarah Hartsfield shares story from jail - Sarah Hartsfield shared her first public words since her arrest in February, in messages only to KPRC 2.
April 5, 2023: ‘I expected something was going to happen’: Mother of Sarah Hartsfield’s husband speaks out for first time - Joseph Hartsfield’s mother Helen Hartsfield told KPRC 2 she started seeing red flags in her son’s relationship with Sarah Hartsfield last summer, just months into their marriage.
March 30, 2023: Sarah Hartsfield murder case: Husband died of insulin complications, medical examiner rules - Joseph Hartsfield’s cause of death has been determined by the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office.
March 22, 2023: His mom is suspected in the deaths of 2 romantic partners. He says he’s been waiting for her arrest his whole life. - Ryan Donohue always believed the “bad stuff” would catch up with his mother.
March 14, 2023: ‘Surprised I got out of the marriage alive’: Woman accused of killing husband was feared by other partners, sheriff says - In this NBC News report, Hartsfield’s first ex-husband, Titus Knoernschild, told NBC News that he was afraid of her while they were married and after their divorce.
March 1, 2023: Woman accused of killing husband placed on suicide watch after deputies noticed self-inflicted wounds following bond hearing - The Chambers County woman who’s been married five times and is accused of killing her most recent husband, Joseph Hartsfield, will remain in jail on a $4.5 million bond after pleading not guilty to his murder on Wednesday. Hours after the hearing, the Chambers County Sheriff placed Hartsfield on suicide watch after she was found to have self-inflicted wounds to her wrists.
Feb. 17, 2023: Woman accused of killing Texas husband also suspected of plotting to murder ex-husband’s new wife, court docs reveal - The Chambers County woman who has been married five times and is accused of killing at least two of her exes was involved in a murder plot in 2021, according to court documents obtained by KPRC 2 News.
Feb. 13, 2023: Ex-boyfriend of Texas woman accused of killing her husband says he had suspicious house fire after break-up - You hear from an ex-boyfriend of Sarah Hartsfield. The unidentified man said the Chambers County woman who has been married five times and is accused of murdering her most recent husband as well as fatally shooting a past fiancée, said their relationship ended in literal flames in 2016.
Feb. 8, 2023: Prosecutors: Chambers County woman indicted after husband dies from ‘suspicious illness’ also killed past fiancé - A woman who was recently indicted following the sudden and suspicious death of her Beach City husband was previously under investigation for the shooting death of her fiancé in Minnesota.
Feb. 5, 2023: Grand jury indicts Beach City woman for murder of husband who had ‘suspicious illness’ - Investigators say she has lived in 39 different places during her adult life and of her living exes, all were scared for their lives.