Texas widow Sarah Hartsfield fires attorney and asks for lower bond in handwritten note to judge
CHAMBERS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Eyewitness News has been following Sarah Hartsfield for months now after the Texas woman was accused of killing her fifth husband.
ABC13 obtained notes written by the 48-year-old from the Chambers County Jail. She sits behind bars after being charged with murder in the death of her most recent husband, Joseph Hartsfield, after officials determined he died of foul play back in February, nearly a month after his death.
In the first note, Sarah told the judge that she had fired her attorney and asked for another one. The second and longer handwritten note asks to get her bond reduced.
Sarah claims she is being illegally confined because her bond is $4.5 million, and she says she can't pay that.
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In March, the Harris County medical examiner ruled Joseph, who had diabetes, died of complications of toxic effects of insulin. Officials told ABC13 the 46-year-old's insulin levels were extremely high four to six hours before Sarah called 911. They said that his glucose monitor had sounded an alarm for quite some time before action was taken.
This saga all began after ABC13 learned Sarah was married four other times and has allegedly left a pattern of spousal abuse and threats against her former partners.
On March 11, 1996, Sarah, who was going by a different last name, was arrested and charged with the assault of her then-second husband, ABC13 confirmed. Records from the Harris County Sheriff's Office show Sarah, in her early 20s, allegedly scraped and bruised her then-husband in their apartment at the 14000 block of Rio Bonito. The husband received a citation, but Sarah was arrested.
The assault charges were dismissed a week later, with the reason marked "other" by prosecutors at that time.
On Tuesday, authorities in Minnesota, where law enforcement is investigating the death of Sarah's former fiancé David Bragg, told Eyewitness News they are wrapping up the investigation and hope to have an update in a few weeks.
Bragg was shot to death by Sarah in 2018, but investigators deemed it as "self-defense."
State officials said in a previous report that new information led to the case being reopened in February.
SEE MORE: What we know about Texas widow Sarah Hartsfield, under suspicion for death of her 5th husband
