Chambers County: Sarah Hartsfield files appeal against life sentence for husband's death

HOUSTON - A Chambers County woman has filed an appeal regarding her murder conviction and life sentence.

Sarah Hartsfield: Notice of appeal against murder sentence

What we know:

County court records show that Sarah Hartsfield filed a Notice of Appeal for her conviction and sentence. She was found guilty and sentenced to life for the death of her husband, Joseph.

The Chambers County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Sarah was transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's custody in Gatesville on Thursday.

Sarah Hartsfield

Hartsfield's two attorneys and a court-appointed investigator have also filed a motion to withdraw from her case. Records say they're asking to withdraw "so the defendant can be provided with new attorneys on appeal who do not have any conflicts of interest."

What we don't know:

It hasn't been determined yet if Hartfield's appeal will be approved.

FOX 26 has not confirmed if a new attorney has been appointed for Hartsfield.

Sarah Hartsfield life sentence

Sarah Hartsfield gets life sentence for husband's insulin death

A Chambers County woman has learned her life sentence for the death of her fifth husband. FOX 26's Jillian Hartmann shares the final moments from Sarah Hartsfield's murder trial.

On Oct. 8, a Chambers County jury found Sarah Hartsfield guilty of murder in the death of her fifth husband, Joseph. She was convicted for giving her husband a lethal dose of insulin and holding off on calling 911.

The jury handed down a life sentence for Sarah the following day, along with a fine of $10,000.

Sarah Hartsfield learns sentence in murder trial

Sarah Hartsfield learns her sentence after being found guilty of murder in her husband's death.

The backstory:

Joseph Hartsfield died in January 2023.

The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office says they were called to a Baytown hospital on the evening of Jan. 7, 2023, about the suspicious illness of an emergency room patient – Joseph. He had been brought in by ambulance from Beach City, where he lived.

According to the sheriff’s office, inconsistencies and other factors discovered during the investigation "made the illness appear more suspicious in nature."

Joseph later died. The sheriff’s office said they believed his death was the result of "foul play."

The district attorney was contacted, and the case was later presented to a grand jury. On Feb. 3, 2023, the grand jury indicted Sarah on a felony murder charge.

According to the sheriff’s office, Joseph was diabetic, and they believe his insulin level was suspiciously high hours before his death and before Sarah called 911.

Sarah pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.