A Fort Stewart soldier has been arrested and charged in the shooting death of his wife in Hinesville earlier this month.

 Hinesville Police Department Detective Gail Poulson said that Perry Hatcher, 22, was arrested Monday at HPD following an interview and charged with the murder of Dashea Hatcher, 23.

 According to an incident report filed by HPD Officer Steven Johnson, who responded shortly before 3 a.m. Nov. 5 to Liberty Woods Apartments on the 700 block of South Main Street, authorities originally were told the victim had committed suicide. Johnson and Officer Ivan Saez first encountered Perry Hatcher, who was holding his infant child, in the doorway of his apartment. He reportedly told the officers that Dashea Hatcher was upstairs and had shot herself. 

 When Saez and Johnson went upstairs to investigate, they found the victim lying on the bed in her bedroom with a gunshot wound to the face. A black, semi-automatic handgun was found on her lap. The officers called for emergency medical personnel to respond. EMT Crystal Hensler and Shane White attempted to revive Dashea Hatcher, but determined the young mother had expired.

 The Hatchers were married in April, and their child was born in September. 

 Dashea Hatcher, who was from South Carolina, also was a service member assigned to Fort Stewart.