Prosecutor: Soldier's wife and her boyfriend charged in his murder

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. --  The wife of US Army Sergeant Tyrone Hassel III was arraigned on a charge of pre-meditated murder Monday afternoon. She and the man she was having an extra-marital affair with are both accused of his murder.

Kemia Hassel, 22, of Allenhurst, Georgia, who is also an active duty soldier with the US Army, has been charged with first degree premeditated murder.

Her alleged boyfriend, Jeremy Cuellar, 24, has also been charged with first degree premeditated murder. He is in custody in Liberty County, Georgia

The prosecutor's office said Kemia and Tyrone were staying at the home in Colfax while they were home on leave for the holidays.

On New Year's Eve at approximately 11 p.m., Tyrone returned to the home to take food to Kemia. He went back outside to his truck to return to a family gathering when he was confronted and shot.

The US Army Criminal Investigation Division at Fort Stewart assisted in the investigation.

Investigators say Kemia and Jeremy Cuellar, also an active duty US Army soldier stationed at Fort Stewart, were in an extramarital relationship. Prosecutors allege they plotted to kill Tyrone so they could continue their relationship and receive the Army's death benefit from his murder, according to the prosecutor's office.

It is alleged Cuellar traveled from Fort Stewart to Chicago several days before New Year's Eve to await directions from Kemia to ambush Tyrone.

Kemia is in the Berrien County Jail and was arraigned on Monday. Her bond was set at $2.5 million.

Cuellar is in the Liberty County, Georgia jail awaiting extradition. In a court hearing Tuesday, he waived extradition to Michigan.