Mischa Johnson (U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division).
A U.S. Army soldier has been accused of murdering his pregnant wife, who had recently gotten married and vanished from their residence at a military base in Hawaii last summer. The armed forces disclosed this news earlier this week.
The missing individual, Mischa Mabeline Kaalohilani Johnson, aged 19, was last spotted on the evening of July 31, 2024, in her house at the Schofield Barracks in Oahu, as per the Army Criminal Investigation Division. She was declared missing on August 1, 2024.
The soldier, known as Private First Class Dewayne Arthur Johnson II, was apprehended on August 2, 2024, and detained in military confinement pending trial. Following this, in the same month, he faced charges of making false official statements, obstructing justice, and producing and circulating child pornography, as outlined by the Army. These original allegations were tied to the investigation into Johnson’s disappearance, according to information sourced by Army Times.
In November 2024, the Army Office of Special Trial Council leveled new allegations against Johnson for his wife’s murder, for “intentionally” killing her unborn child, and for possession of child pornography, according to Task & Purpose and Military.com.
Now, five charges and 19 specifications have formally been “referred” against Johnson under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) — a complete set of rules akin to criminal law for members of the U.S. military.
In sum, the soldier now stands accused of the six-month pregnant woman’s murder, intentionally killing her unborn child, obstruction of justice, providing false official statements, possession of child pornography and production and distribution of child pornography, the Army announced in a Tuesday press release.
The defendant waived his right to an Article 32 preliminary hearing — essentially the UCMJ version of a pretrial hearing on sufficiency of evidence. Now, the prosecution will move forward with arraignment, other hearings, and a general court-martial, the Army said.
“Mischa Johnson is presumed deceased and her body has not been found,” the press release reads. “This case remains an ongoing investigation and Department of the Army [Criminal Investigation Division] continues to ask for the public’s assistance.”
The latest development is a long-awaited relief for the victim’s family.
“We have no control over these things, right? So we’re finally glad that the day is finally here, especially because we can now we can update the public,” Mischa Johnson’s sister told Honolulu-based Fox and The CW affiliate KHON. “I feel betrayed because, you know, we accepted him right into our family.”
While details in the case are scarce, some information has trickled out.
The defendant was reportedly seen on surveillance footage purchasing tools and cleaning supplies, according to multiple anonymous sourced cited by Honolulu-based CBS affiliate KGMB, NBC affiliate KHN, and Telemundo affiliate KFVE — television stations which collectively operate under the banner of Hawaii News Now.
“And now we just wait on a date for arraignment, which we will be present for in person,” the victim’s sister told KHON.
