Hawaiian soldier in custody in case of his missing wife

A soldier is in custody in Hawaii after his six-months-pregnant wife disappeared earlier this month, Army officials said.

“One person has been taken into military custody in the case of missing person Mischa Johnson. Mischa Johnson's husband, Private First Class Dewayne Arthur Johnson II, is currently in custody in Hawaii,” 25th Infantry Division officials said in a statement.

Although Dewayne Arthur Johnson is in custody, no charges have been filed against him, Army officials told Task & Purpose. Officials did not provide further details about a possible violation of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.

According to the UCMJ, pretrial detention should be used “only when necessary” and can only be ordered when there is reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed that is amenable to court-martial, the accused committed the crime, and pretrial detention is necessary under the circumstances.

Earlier this month, the Army Criminal Investigation Division offered a $10,000 reward for information in the Mischa Johnson case. The Army CID is working with the Honolulu Police Department, CrimeStoppers and area law enforcement agencies on the case.

On August 1, Army CID was notified that Mischa Johnson was reported missing from Schofield Barracks on O'ahu, Hawaii. According to CID, she was last seen at her home on July 31.

Dewayne Arthur Johnson of Frederick, Maryland, joined the Army in November 2022 and attended station unit training at Fort Moore, Georgia. He is 25^th Infantry Division and serves as a cavalry scout.

Subscribe to Task & Purpose today. Get the latest military and culture news delivered daily to your inbox.

“Our efforts remain focused on locating Mischa, assisting her family, and ensuring the safety of all personnel at U.S. Army bases in Hawaii. This is an ongoing investigation and no further information is available at this time,” Army officials said in a statement.

Officials urged anyone with information on the case to contact Army CID.

Mischa Johnson was six months pregnant when she disappeared.

Domestic violence against pregnant women is not uncommon. According to the National Partnership for Women & Families, many report that domestic violence began or increased during pregnancy.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, homicide is the leading cause of death among pregnant women in the United States.

The latest on Task & Purpose