ANAHUAC, Texas – A 12-person jury was seated Monday in the murder trial of Sarah Hartsfield, and opening statements are scheduled to begin Tuesday as the trial moves into its next phase.
Prosecutors say the case centers on the January 2023 death of Joseph Hartsfield, whose death certificate lists complications from toxic insulin exposure. Authorities allege Sarah Hartsfield ignored alerts about her husband’s dangerously low blood sugar, delayed calling 911 after finding him unresponsive, and that investigators later found multiple insulin pens near his bed.
WATCH LIVE RECAP OF FIRST DAY OF TRIAL ON YOUTUBE.
After more than seven hours of Voir Dire, jurors and two alternates were chosen to hear the case. The jury is made up of four women and eight men who will now hear evidence over the coming days.
The court is set to resume this morning for opening statements and the start of witness testimony.
Prosecutors have indicated that they may call a large number of witnesses. Court filings show the state listed more than 80 potential witnesses, including medical and law enforcement experts and dozens of people from the defendant’s past. Testimony is expected to address medical forensics, diabetes care, and the timeline of events leading to Joseph Hartsfield’s hospitalization and death.
Judge Chap B. Cain has approved one television camera in the courtroom for the duration of the trial.
9:33 a.m. - Both sides conclude opening statements; Helen Hartsfield, Joseph’s mother, called as first witness
9:21 a.m. - Prosecution concludes opening statements; defense opens with Case Darwin
Defense attorneys argued Joseph Hartsfield’s death was not murder but the result of his long history of medical issues, including diabetes, heart problems, and sleep apnea. They stressed that the medical examiner ruled his death an “undetermined manner,” saying the state cannot prove how or when insulin entered his system.
The defense said Joseph often mismanaged his diabetes, neglected his diet, and had been hospitalized multiple times for dangerously high and low blood sugar. He sometimes skipped insulin doses altogether and was on additional medications that made his condition harder to control.
Sarah, they said, had just undergone breast surgery in December 2022 and was prescribed strong narcotics like hydrocodone, valium, and gabapentin. While she was recovering, the couple had a major fight and briefly separated, but Joseph returned. Both were making preparations to possibly end the relationship, but there were no divorce plans.
On the day Joseph died, the defense said he had eaten, was wearing a continuous glucose monitor, and Sarah assumed he was handling his own alarms. She checked on him periodically while under medication and eventually found him unconscious. Her 911 timeline was off, they argued, because she was in shock.
Defense attorneys also said that Sarah cooperated with police and allowed a search of the home, but investigators failed to collect or test roughly 10 insulin pens near Joseph’s bed. They argued that no evidence shows how Joseph received insulin, when, or by whom.
They told jurors the state is spinning a narrative without proof, noting that Sarah may not have acted perfectly but had no legal duty to intervene in his medical care: “She could have done better, but that is not murder.”
9:08 a.m. – Opening statements begin from the prosecutors
Prosecutor Mallory Vargas told jurors that Joseph Hartsfield’s family was initially happy when he met Sarah, describing her as caring and smart. But prosecutors say the evidence will show that within a year of knowing him, Sarah intentionally caused Joseph’s death.
Jurors heard that the couple’s whirlwind romance concealed Sarah’s true identity. Their fighting was described as “incessant.”
Vargas said Sarah resented Joseph’s love for his family, disliked his son, complained about his income and job, and even the way he kept their home while working long shifts. She accused Sarah of believing Joseph would financially ruin her.
Prosecutors argued that when Joseph tried to leave, Sarah refused to let him go: “He was not allowed to leave her,” Vargas said.
Joseph had lived more than two decades with diabetes, but prosecutors said the severe blood sugar crashes he suffered with Sarah were unusual. Vargas said evidence will show that Joseph feared low blood sugar, and on the night he died, Vargas said Sarah waited at least an hour before calling 911 as he lay dying.
The state pointed to red flags that concerned hospital staff, including Joseph not responding to routine treatment that should have stabilized him, and what was found in his system when he arrived. Vargas told jurors the evidence, much of it in Sarah’s own words, would show her motive and actions: “She painted herself into a corner.”
Prosecutors urged jurors to pay close attention to Sarah’s words and silences, her timing, and her behavior throughout the trial, warning that she would be “on and ready to perform.”
Vargas reminded the jury that the defense is skilled, but cautioned against being distracted by missing pieces or “mental gymnastics” that ignore the broader picture.
The state concluded by saying every element of the offense will be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
9:08 a.m. – Hartsfield pleads not guilty
9:07 a.m. – The prosecutor reads the indictment to Sarah Hartsfield
9:05 a.m. - Jury enters courtroom
9:00 a.m. – Court in session, witnesses sworn in