Ex-soldier sentenced to 23 years in prison for killing pregnant wife Mischa Johnson; her loved ones react to his punishment
DeWayne Johnson II pled guilty to killing of his pregnant wife and unborn child and was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
By Kristen Consillio
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (KITV) — “It’s a very bittersweet moment,” said Mischa Johnson’s sister Marianna Tapiz.
A moment Mischa Johnson’s loved ones have been waiting for, for almost a year.
“We got the explanation that we wanted. We wanted to know exactly what happened,” she said. “But in trade for less time, was that worth it?”
Johnson’s serving 23 years in prison.
He’ll be released when he’s just over 50 years old; a sentence that will never be long enough for Mischa’s family.
“I’m never gonna feel like he’s going to do enough time, even if the time were extended, it’s never gonna be enough for me,” Tapiz said. “And there’s always going to be that void in our family.”
But the family said it supported the plea deal in order to get a confession out of Johnson.
“I can take comfort in at least knowing what happened to my sister,” Tapiz said. “If we didn’t have the plea deal, he wouldn’t have said anything. You figure how many months went by and nothing, no confession, no nothing.”
Johnson plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter — instead of murder — confessing to brutally killing his pregnant wife in a fit of rage and dismembering her with a chainsaw to cover up the crime. And then discarding her body parts in the trash.
“Heartbreaking. Completely heartbreaking,” said Sarah Kral, a military wife who helped with the search. “And sick. It makes you sick.”
For months, dozens searched across the island as Johnson remained silent.
Johnson sobbed as he expressed his sorrow and remorse for the killing, lamenting that he hated himself everyday for what he did and loved Mischa and their unborn child more than himself.
But an investigator contradicted his remorse, testifying that within days of using a machete to kill Mischa on July 12, 2024, Johnson was on a dating app and made videos of himself with another woman in the bedroom where he killed his wife.
“Mischa’s blood was still wet under the floor while he was doing all of this unscrupulous behavior,” Tapiz said. “How evil do you have to be to to bring someone into that room, you know, that you took two lives in?”
The Army said prosecuting murder cases without a body is incredibly difficult.
And it was important to bring closure and a sense of peace for the family, but they’re still struggling to find that.
“I really thought that he was remorseful like that he was, he felt guilty, but those were just crocodile tears,” Tapiz said. “I cannot find it in my heart to forgive him right now. I can’t say I ever will.”
As part of the plea deal, the government dismissed Johnson’s child pornography charges, reduced his rank and forced him to forfeit his pay and allowances.
He’s now dishonorably discharged from the military.
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