Suvechha Sarkar
David Wayne Bragg was a loving brother and a responsible son. In May 2018, the 43-year-old never expected his life to come to an abrupt halt at his home in Garfield, Minnesota. After the shocking incident, no official charges were filed against the shooter. The case once again came under the spotlight briefly in the episode titled ‘The Trouble With Sarah’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline.’ It delves deeper into David’s death after the case was reopened when the shooter was indicted for another murder just a few years later. It also features interviews with officials, as they try to piece together why doubts persist years later.
David Bragg Was at His Home When He Died From Multiple Gunshot Wounds
David Wayne Bragg arrived as a beacon of light in the lives of his parents, Laura and Carl Bragg, sometime in 1975. He always received immeasurable love and support from his parents. Reports state that he was the oldest among his eight siblings and was especially close to his younger brothers, Daniel and Thomas. According to Daniel, five of their siblings were adopted. David always had a smile on his face and would light up any room he walked into. After graduating from high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, he decided to pursue his desire to serve his country and community. Following the completion of his higher studies, David reportedly began volunteering as a paramedic in Virginia. Ultimately, he joined the US Air Force and proudly served his country for 4 years before returning home.
David then began working at a solar energy farm in Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas. He also started taking part in various housing renovation projects. According to Thomas, David loved spending time outdoors, particularly in the woods, and was an avid sportsman. In 2017, David crossed paths with Sarah Donohue (now Sarah Hartsfield) while she was stationed in Fort Hood. Sarah was married three times by then and had four children from her third marriage. Laura stated that David believed he had met the love of his life. According to official reports, during that time, Sarah’s marriage with her third husband, Christopher Donohue, was coming to an end. By the fall of 2017, David moved to his house on 7395 County Road 5 Northwest, in Garfield, Minnesota.
After Sarah’s divorce in 2017, she moved in with David with her children, and they soon got engaged. Around 4:11 pm on May 9, 2018, the authorities received a 911 call reporting an escalating dispute at David’s home. As per official records, the dispatch had informed the officials at the scene that a firearm had been used during the fight and shots had been fired. Upon entering the home, they reportedly found David dead from gunshot wounds in the downstairs living room. Sarah and two of her children were also found inside the residence unharmed. The detectives noted a bullet hole near the stairs and saw no involvement of drugs or alcohol. They reportedly also collected fingerprints and DNA as evidence. The autopsy reportedly determined his cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds.
A Ruling of Self-Defense Stood for Years Until a Murder Began Casting Doubt
When law enforcement officials received the 911 call, they were informed that a domestic dispute was underway at David’s home. During questioning at the scene, Sarah claimed that her third husband, Christopher, came to visit their daughter for her birthday. In her statements, she claimed that David became angry because Christopher met his daughter beyond visitation time, and hence, David allegedly assaulted her. According to investigative reports, Sarah alleged that David then fired his handgun at her as she tried to go up the stairs. She continued that she then allegedly fired her gun at him. When Sarah was questioned about the reason why she was carrying the firearm, she said she allegedly did not want to leave it unattended in the car with her children.
Reports state that during Sarah’s first court appearance in the case, she described the shooting as an “automatic response.” According to police records, investigators had spoken with witnesses at the scene, whose accounts allegedly matched Sarah’s. Additionally, official reports suggest that after the analysis of the bullet trajectory, the experts concluded that it was consistent with the statement that David had allegedly fired a weapon at Sarah first. The testing of the DNA and fingerprints also reportedly corroborated her statements. A Douglas County Attorney, Chad Larson, who reviewed the case, determined that Sarah had allegedly fired the gun in self-defense.
In a letter written by Chad in 2019, he stated, “Under the circumstances, Ms. Donohue was justified in shooting Mr. Bragg as a matter of self-defense as she was facing lethal force and had no reasonable possibility of retreating from the threat.” Hence, he reportedly declined to file any criminal charges against Sarah. However, things changed when Sarah once again came into the limelight after the death of her fifth husband, Joseph Hartsfield, on January 15, 2023. He had reportedly passed away under mysterious circumstances from the toxic effects of insulin. Sarah was arrested and charged with the murder of Joseph on February 3, 2023, before she was found guilty of first-degree murder in October 2025. Just one day after her conviction, she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
New Revelations Prompted Authorities to Reopen the Case of David’s Death
Just after Sarah’s indictment for Joseph’s murder, the Douglas County Attorney’s Office reportedly announced that David’s death is being reinvestigated based on some additional information that they have received. They have also urged individuals to come forward with any tips regarding Sarah and the case. However, it is essential to note that Sarah has not been charged with anything pertaining to the case. According to recent reports, her son, Ryan Donohue, stated that she and David would often argue. He alleged, “I know my mom went in there, like, ready to do something.” David’s brother, Thomas, claimed David was “trying to figure out how to separate amicably and … move on” from Sarah at the time of the shooting.
As per Thomas, David had often spoken about leaving the relationship with his parents before he was shot. Another report suggests that although Daniel is aware that reopening the case would never bring David back, he reportedly hopes that his loved ones will get justice. Speaking further about Sarah, Daniel noted, “I hope that she gets exactly what she needs to get in order to be stopped.” According to official reports, her first husband, Titus Knoernschild, came forward and claimed that Sarah had threatened her after their divorce. He alleged, “She just- Just making it clear that I shouldn’t leave her. She would leave me. And then, as it got ugly, she told me that, not to be surprised if I don’t make it through this.” Currently, there are no public reports that have provided further details on the ongoing investigation.
