FORT CAMPBELL, KY (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After a start-and-stop series of jury deliberations that included revisiting key testimony, a jury on Tuesday found Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. Santiago guilty of murdering his pregnant wife and, in the process, assaulting their unborn child.
Joseph Santiago, a 5th Special Forces Group support soldier, was found guilty of the murder of Meghan Santiago and injury to their child. He was found not guilty of an additional charge of domestic violence.
On Sept. 27, 2021, Meghan Santiago sustained blunt force injuries and later died in the hospital, according to her autopsy report. An emergency C-section and brain surgery were performed in an attempt to save her and her unborn child. The baby girl survived being born eight weeks early, but Meghan died from her injuries.
Santiago was charged with three articles, military criminal offenses covered under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ):
- Article 118, UCMJ, requires: (1) a death; (2) that the accused caused the death by an act or omission; (3) the killing was unlawful; and (4) at the time of the killing, the accused had a premeditated design to kill).
- Article 119a — Killing an unborn child, injuring an unborn child and attempts (attempting to kill an unborn child).
- Article 128, UCMJ — Any person subject to this chapter who attempts or offers with unlawful force or violence to do bodily harm to another person, whether or not the attempt or offer is consummated, is guilty of assault and shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
He has opted to be sentenced by the military judge instead of the jury. Sentencing will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Chris Smith contributed to this report.