US Army Sergeant Tyrone Hassel III was killed in an ambush right on New Year’s Eve as he was visiting his family in St. Joseph.
There was a lot of speculation surrounding the case, and some fingers were immediately pointed at Hassel’s wife, as there was reportedly already some suspicion aimed at her from before.
And now, Kemia Hassel, 22, has officially been convicted of murder, as the court found her guilty in the murder plot.
The Michigan woman had planned the whole ordeal in meticulous detail for months in advance. She got rid of her 23-year-old husband so she could spend time with her boyfriend, Jeremy Cuellar, 24.
The woman, who planned the murder with Cuellar while deployed in Korea between February and October of 2018, was also hoping for a large sum of money after Hassel’s death from life insurance.
Everyone involved in the case — including the boyfriend — was a soldier in the army stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia.
Kemia has been found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, as well as conspiracy to commit murder. Her official sentencing has been scheduled for August 29th, according to Berrien County Judge Angela Pasula.
Kemia is facing a statutory minimum sentence of life in prison without the chance for parole for the brutal murder.
As for Cuellar, he is currently being held on a $2,5 million bond. He will have his day in court sometime in August on first-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges. He allegedly shot Tyrone outside of his father’s home.
Many have condemned the act, partly due to the cruel way in which it was carried out, fatally shooting the sergeant on the evening of a holiday while he was trying to bring his wife food and spend time with his family.
Berrien County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Steve Pierangeli said during the trial: “Justice was served, but we still lost. The army lost a good soldier. Tyrone’s father lost a good son.”
Pierangeli had this reaction to the verdict: “It is incredibly bittersweet because he was a family man, friend, and a good soldier.”
The victim’s father, Tyrone Hassel Jr. called Kemia the devil and claimed she had no remorse for her actions.
He said: “She’s the devil. To see someone you first cared for, hurt you so bad.” The father will try to get custody of the 2-year-old child that Kemia and Tyrone had together.
Some have called for the harshest possible sentence for the woman and her alleged partner in crime.
