Army charges soldiers with murder of wife and unborn child

Army prosecutors filed murder charges against a Hawaii soldier whose six-months-pregnant wife has been missing for more than three months, alleging he murdered her and “intentionally” killed their unborn child, officials said.

The four new charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice were filed Wednesday against Pfc. Dewayne Arthur Johnson II for the murder of 19-year-old Mischa Johnson and the killing of her unborn child “based on evidence obtained as part of the ongoing investigation,” said Michelle McCaskill, spokeswoman for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, which is working for the The case is the case.

The Army confirmed to Task & Purpose on Thursday that Mischa Johnson's body has not been found.

The new charges add to UCMJ's previous charges brought against the soldier in August for making false official statements, obstruction of justice, and producing and distributing explicit images of children.

Dewayne Johnson is in custody awaiting a preliminary hearing, which is required before the case can be heard by a general court-martial. If the charges are “dismissed,” Dewayne Johnson will be indicted and a trial will be scheduled by a military judge assigned to the case.

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The case is being handled by the Office of Special Trial Counsel, which occupies a relatively new role in the Pentagon's justice system and prosecutes criminal cases involving murder, sexual assault and domestic violence outside the chain of command.

Army criminal investigators were notified Aug. 1 that Mischa Johnson was missing from Schofield Barracks, O'ahu, Hawaii, where the couple lived on base. Soon after, Army officials announced a $10,000 reward for information in the case. Her husband, Dewayne Johnson, was taken into military custody without charge in mid-August. A local news outlet in Hawaii reported that video footage showed Dewayne Johnson purchasing cleaning supplies and various tools before reporting his wife missing.

Dewayne Johnson, of Frederick, Maryland, enlisted in the Army in November 2022 and attended station unit training at Fort Moore, Georgia. He is assigned to the 25th Hawaiian Infantry Division and serves as a cavalry scout.

According to the National Partnership for Women & Families, domestic abuse is not uncommon among pregnant women. Many report that domestic abuse began or increased during pregnancy. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the United States.

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