A U.S. Army soldier, Private First Class Dewayne Arthur Johnson II, has been formally charged with the murder of his pregnant 19-year-old wife, Mischa Mabelina Kaalohilani Johnson, and the killing of their unborn child. He was also charged with possession, production, and distribution of child pornography.
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On February 12, 2025, the U.S. Army issued a press release, detailing the referred charges against Johnson. In addition to the murder, killing, and child pornography charges, he was also charged with obstruction of justice and providing false official statements.
According to Law & Crime, Johnson was arrested back on August 2, 2024. He was placed in military pretrial confinement and has remained confined ever since. His wife, Mischa, was last seen on July 31, 2024, at her Oahu home. Months later, he was reported missing, leading to Johnson's arrest the following day.
After his arrest, Johnson "waived his right to an Article 32 preliminary hearing." This means that he will be arraigned at a later date, pretrial hearings will be held, and the trial itself will take place in the following months.
Presumed Deceased
According to the U.S. Army, "Mischa Johnson is presumed deceased and her body has not been found." "This case remains an ongoing investigation and Department of the Army [Criminal Investigation Division] continues to ask for the public's assistance," the press release concludes.
The fact that charges have been filed against Dewayne Arthur Johnson II has eased the minds of Mischa Johnson's family. According to KHON2, they have waited for months, seeking justice for Mischa.
"We have no control over these things, right?" Mariana Tapiz, Mischa's sister, told the outlet. "So we're finally glad that the day is finally here, especially because we can now we can update the public." She would then say that she and her family felt "betrayed" because they accepted Johnson as part of their own. Tapiz also added that they will be present at Johnson's arraignment.
Legal expert Megan Kau referred to Johnson's non-murder charges as "slam dunks," given the fact that Mischa's body has not been found.
"Because those are almost slam dunks, right? Child pornography, it's either on your device or it's not," Kau said. "When you have this murder case without a body, it's not necessarily a slam dunk. And so at least the government will be able to hold him accountable for the child pornography."
