In a disturbing case from Hawaii, Pfc. Dewayne Johnson II, a U.S. Army soldier stationed at Schofield Barracks, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for the brutal killing of his wife, Mischa Johnson, and their unborn child in July 2024.
Johnson was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and providing false official statements, after pleading guilty earlier this week.
The Tragic Incident
On July 12, 2024, Mischa Johnson, who was 19 years old and six months pregnant, was fatally attacked by her husband during a heated argument at their military residence on Oahu.
Johnson testified in court that the confrontation began after his wife yelled that their unborn child would never know who he was. He claimed that in a moment of emotional distress, he struck her with a machete.
Johnson stated he didn’t intend to kill her, but after hitting her on the head, his wife stopped breathing and lost her pulse. Overcome by regret and unable to imagine his life without his child, Johnson confessed to the murder in his testimony. “I couldn’t picture my life without my child,” he said. “I regret, I shouldn’t have done it.”
The Cover-Up and Discovery
After killing his wife, Johnson attempted to cover up the crime. He used a chainsaw to dismember her body, then placed the body parts into garbage bags. Johnson disposed of the body in a dumpster at the Schofield Barracks, believing the trash would be sent straight to an incinerator.
Johnson then reported his wife missing on July 31, 2024, more than two weeks after her death. He joined search efforts around Oahu, trying to deceive both authorities and the community. However, Army investigators soon discovered blood, DNA, and other evidence at his home, leading to his arrest and charges on August 27, 2024.
The Sentence and Plea Agreement
As part of a plea agreement, Johnson was sentenced to the maximum allowable prison term under military law. He was also reduced in rank to private, will forfeit pay and allowances, and will be dishonorably discharged from the Army. Johnson will serve his sentence at Fort Leavenworth, a military prison in Kansas.
In addition to the charges related to his wife’s death, child sexual abuse image charges were dropped as part of the plea deal.
Family’s Grief and Search for Healing
The death of Mischa Johnson and her unborn child has left her family devastated. Marianna Tapiz, Mischa’s sister, expressed the deep pain of the loss, emphasizing how difficult it was to accept the brutal details of the incident.
She told KITV, “As a family together, we’re just trying not to focus on the horrific details of her last moment with him. And instead, right now, we’re trying to just remember the happy memories that we have and remember her in that life.”
Prosecutor’s Statement
Army prosecutor Lt. Col. Nicholas Hurd expressed hope that the sentencing and Johnson’s guilty plea would help bring some form of closure to the family. “While no amount of confinement will ever be able to truly ease the pain of the loss of Ms. Johnson and her unborn child for her family and friends, it is my hope that Pfc. Johnson’s admissions of guilt and the information he provided as part of the plea agreement can provide some element of closure and finality for the family and all stakeholders,” Hurd said.