He served his country with pride. He cherished his family. He came home for the holidays—only to be ambushed in his father’s driveway by the woman who vowed to love him forever.
On New Year’s Eve, 2018, U.S. Army Sergeant Tyrone Hassel III was shot multiple times in Benton Harbor, Michigan, as he brought food to his wife, Kemia Hassel, and their toddler son. It was supposed to be a quiet night home with family.
But behind the cries for help from his grieving wife was a chilling secret: she had planned his murder—with her lover.
A Life of Honor Cut Short
Tyrone, 23, wasn’t just a soldier—he was a husband, father, son, and student. Known for his discipline, loyalty, and integrity, he was rising quickly through the ranks of the Army and pursuing a college degree in business to prepare for civilian life.
While on leave during the holidays, Tyrone split his time between two worlds: one with his family and child, and one unknowingly shadowed by betrayal.
The Lover, the Wife, and a $400,000 Motive
Kemia Hassel, also a soldier stationed at Fort Stewart, had been having an affair with Jeremy Cuellar, a fellow soldier she met in South Korea.
The affair soon twisted into a murder plot. Through encrypted Snapchat messages, the lovers coordinated Tyrone’s assassination, envisioning a future built on blood and his $400,000 life insurance policy.
Cuellar made four separate trips from Georgia to Michigan, each time intending to kill Tyrone. On December 31, he finally succeeded.
As Tyrone exited his truck with takeout in hand, Cuellar emerged from the shadows and fired. Tyrone fell—just feet away from the home where his son was waiting.
The Widow Who Played the Part
For nearly two weeks, Kemia played the perfect grieving widow.
She cried. She mourned. She looked the part.
But the cracks began to show.
A fellow soldier tipped off investigators about her relationship with Cuellar. When questioned, Kemia confessed in a recorded statement:
“I’m just as guilty as he is.”
She admitted she had handed Cuellar all of Tyrone’s movements—what time he’d leave, what he’d be carrying, when he’d be alone.
A Father’s Anguish and a Killer’s Confession
Tyrone’s father, Tyrone Hassel Jr., is a former police officer and Army veteran himself. The betrayal, he said, was beyond comprehension.
During interrogation, Cuellar shockingly confessed to him directly, saying:
“I came up here six times. I just couldn’t do it. But the last time, I did.”
He showed no joy—only resignation.
But the damage was irreversible.
The Trial, The Sentence, The Aftermath
In August 2019, Kemia was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Jeremy Cuellar pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a sentence of 65 to 90 years. He later tried to withdraw his plea, but the court denied his motion.
In court, Tyrone’s father asked a question that silenced the room:
“You killed my son. For what? So you could be together? You thought you were going to live happily ever after?”
The Child Left Behind
Caught in the middle of this tragedy is Tyrone and Kemia’s son—a young boy left to grow up without his father, and with a mother imprisoned for plotting his murder.
It’s a cruel reality, one that Tyrone’s parents have embraced with heartbreak and resilience. They are raising their grandson now, determined to ensure he knows the truth—not just about the crime, but about the courageous, kind-hearted man his father was.
Lessons from a Soldier’s Death
This isn’t just a tale of jealousy and greed—it’s a cautionary story of how love, when warped by selfishness and deception, can become deadly.
Tyrone Hassel’s murder shattered his family and community. It also sparked deeper discussions about domestic abuse within military ranks, the emotional strain of deployments, and how systems often fail to detect red flags until it’s too late.
Gone, But Not Forgotten
Tyrone Hassel III was a soldier. A father. A man with a future.
His name will not be remembered for how he died—but how he lived: honorably, loyally, and with love for those around him.
His family continues to advocate for military families, raise awareness about domestic violence in the armed forces, and fight for a world where no child grows up without a parent because of senseless, selfish violence.
Justice was served, but the loss will echo forever.