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Framed Friend Becomes Killer in Deadly Deception
25 Jan
Summary
- Austin claimed her best friend's boyfriend was the killer.
- Austin met the victim through a Craigslist personal ad.
- Austin was apprehended in Belize after fleeing the country.
In 2010, La'Rene Austin arrived at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department claiming to have found her friend LaNell Barsock dead. Austin, who had met Barsock through a Craigslist personal ad just weeks prior, immediately accused Barsock's boyfriend, Louis Bonheur, of the crime. She fabricated a story of being chased by Bonheur, leading to his arrest.
However, Bonheur's alibi, supported by surveillance footage, proved his innocence. Detectives then uncovered evidence that Austin and Barsock had a brief romantic relationship, which Barsock had ended. Austin's DNA and fingerprints were found at the crime scene, and she owned a gun similar to the murder weapon.
Facing mounting evidence, Austin fled to Belize. She was featured on America's Most Wanted and subsequently apprehended in January 2012. In 2015, Austin was found guilty of first-degree murder and using a firearm, receiving two consecutive 25-year-to-life sentences.
Austin is currently serving her sentence at the California Institution for Women. She is eligible for parole in February 2032, with a parole board consultation pending for February 2027.
