ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced on Friday to 59 years in prison for murdering his wife three years ago and attempting to conceal her death, KTUU reported. Zarrius Hildabrand, 24, a former Army specialist, fatally shot his wife, Saria Hildabrand, 21, an Alaska National Guard specialist, on August 6, 2023. Both were actively serving at the time.

Source: KTUU via Brightgram, Oct. 24, 2026

In June, a jury convicted Hildabrand of second-degree murder and evidence tampering and acquitted him of first-degree murder, WCXS Classic Country reported in its account of Friday's sentencing. The defense had argued that Saria died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. For second-degree murder, he had faced a sentencing range of 15 to 99 years.

Source: WCXS Classic Country 104.5, Oct. 24, 2026

According to the Alaska District Attorney's conviction announcement, the killing happened in the early morning of August 6, 2023, after Hildabrand went out with his wife and friends to celebrate his 21st birthday. They visited several establishments in Anchorage and returned home, where Saria found messages on his phone indicating he had been cheating on her. The evidence showed he then shot her once in the head with a 9mm handgun.

Source: Alaska District Attorney via The Anchorage Post, June 26, 2026

After the murder, Hildabrand cleaned up the scene at their apartment and bought a 96-gallon rolling trash can that he used to transport Saria's body to a nearby park, where he dumped her into a storm drain, the District Attorney said. He reported her missing and helped her family search for her. Her body was recovered on August 10, 2023.

The case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department Homicide Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, and was prosecuted by District Attorney Brittany Dunlop and Assistant District Attorney Kaila Hurley, the District Attorney said. Sentencing had been set for October 23 at the Nesbett Courthouse in Anchorage.