Medical examiner testifies in Alaska soldier’s murder trial

Medical examiner testifies in Alaska soldier’s murder trial State pushes homicide charges as defense claims suicide in death of National Guard service member ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - An Anchorage man is facing murder and tampering with evidence charges after the state claimed he shot and killed his wife, 22-year-old Alaska National Guard Spec. Saria Hildabrand, on Aug. 6, 2023. Warning: This story discusses topics of suicide and might be difficult for some readers. On Wednesday, the state continued their case against 23-year-old U.S. Army Spec. Zarrius Hildabrand by introducing Dr. Kenneth Gallagher with the Alaska State Medical Examiner Office. Previous Coverage: DAY 1: Anchorage man returns to court as murder trial continues in wife’s death DAY 2: Anchorage man returns to court as murder trial continues in wife’s death DAY 3: New details emerge in homicide trial involving US Army man and wife DAY 4: Crime scene photos shown in Hildabrand trial “Her cause of death was a penetrating, indeterminate range gunshot wound,” Gallagher testified. “And the manner of death that I certified was as a homicide.” Law enforcement testified that due to the blood splatter found on a saturated mattress inside the couple’s apartment, Saria’s body was moved after being shot. Yet, according to Gallagher, the gunshot would have killed Saria right away. The defense is pushing back against the homicide charge, stating that Saria died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. During court, Gallagher testified that the gunshot was not close contact, but instead intermediate range. “In this particular case, it’s intermediate range, and it’s fairly broad across her forehead to her left side of her ear area. That whole area around that is a pretty broad pattern of stippling. And to determine the distance, of that particular weapon and that ammunition to create that pattern is best determined in the crime lab through a firearms expert testing that weapon and that ammunition,” Gallagher. The defense continued to push back against the witness, adding that that Saria had no defense wounds and that the medical examiner did not test a gun to simulate the fatal gunshot. See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com Copyright 2026 KTUU. All rights reserved.