Army prosecutors have 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, authorities 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 Mischa Johnson, 19, and the murder of her unborn child “based on evidence obtained through the ongoing investigation,” according to Michelle McCaskill, spokeswoman for the Office of Special Counsel for the Army, which is in charge of the case. case.

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

The new accusations are added to the previous ones UCMJ charges filed in August against the soldier for providing false official statements, obstruction of justice and production and distribution of explicit images of children.

Dewayne Johnson is being held in custody awaiting a preliminary hearing, which is necessary before the case can go to trial before a general court-martial. If the charges are “referred,” Dewayne Johnson will be indicted and a military judge assigned to the case will schedule a trial.

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The case is being handled by the Office of Special Counsel, which has relatively New role in the Pentagon justice system. to prosecute criminal cases involving murder, sexual assault and domestic abuse outside the chain of command.

Army criminal investigators were notified on August 1 that Mischa Johnson was missing from Schofield Barracks, O’ahu, Hawaii, where the couple lived on the base. Shortly afterward, Army officials announced a $10,000 reward for information in the case. Her husband, Dewayne Johnson, was taken into military custody no fees mid-August. a place A Hawaii media outlet reported That video 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 Hawaii Infantry Division and serves as a cavalry scout.

Domestic abuse involving pregnant women is not at all uncommon, and many report that their domestic abuse began or intensified when they became pregnant, according to the National Association for Women and Families. For pregnant women in the US, homicide is the leading cause of death, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

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