La’Rene Austin reported finding LaNell Barsock murdered and blamed Barsock’s boyfriend, Louis Bonheur. Investigators later discovered Austin and Barsock had met via Craigslist and had a brief romantic relationship; DNA and fingerprint evidence tied Austin to the scene. Austin fled to Belize but was arrested on Jan. 25, 2012 after an America’s Most Wanted tip, extradited, convicted of first-degree murder in 2015 and sentenced to two consecutive 25‑to‑life terms. She is incarcerated in Chino and eligible for parole in February 2032.
Where Is La’Rene Austin Now? The Murder, the False Accusation and Her Capture in Belize
Courtesy of Dateline NBC ; Mario Tama/GettyLaNell Barsock ; An aerial view of Palmdale, California.
La’Rene Austin arrived at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department wearing blood-stained clothes and reported that she had discovered her “best friend,” LaNell Barsock, dead. Austin immediately accused Barsock’s boyfriend, Louis Bonheur, alleging a jealous confrontation had ended in murder. What began as a dramatic accusation soon unraveled as investigators reconstructed the timeline and examined physical evidence.
David McNew/GettyA blanket of snow on February 26, 2023 in Palmdale, California.
How The Investigation Shifted
Initially, police arrested Bonheur based on Austin’s account and a handwritten note suggesting Barsock planned to leave him. Bonheur denied involvement and provided an alibi. Surveillance footage from auto parts stores later corroborated his movements that night, and detectives began to doubt Austin’s story.
Courtesy of Dateline NBCLaNell Barsock.
Evidence Pointing To Austin
Further investigation revealed that Austin and Barsock were not long-time friends as Austin had claimed. The two had met only weeks earlier through a Craigslist personals ad and had a brief romantic relationship that Barsock ended shortly before her death. Investigators recovered Austin’s DNA and at least one fingerprint at the crime scene and determined she owned the same type of firearm used to kill Barsock. Messages between the women—along with the physical evidence—shifted suspicion firmly onto Austin.
APU GOMES/AFP via GettyThe Palmdale Sheriffs Station on June 13, 2020.
Motives And Scene Details
Prosecutors argued Austin became obsessed with Barsock and viewed her as a means of escaping financial hardship in Palmdale. According to investigators, Barsock was shot once in the head while having her hair woven; the assailant used a pillow to muffle the sound, then dragged the body to the garage. Detectives say Austin’s attachment and financial motives explained why she allegedly murdered Barsock and tried to frame Bonheur.
Flight, Capture And Conviction
Before police could arrest her, Austin fled Los Angeles. After the case was featured on America’s Most Wanted, authorities located her in Belize. The FBI reported she was taken into custody without incident on January 25, 2012, then extradited to the United States the same day. Austin went to trial in 2015, where a jury convicted her of first-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a crime. She was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 25 years to life.
Where She Is Now
Austin is incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Chino. According to California inmate records, she is eligible for parole in February 2032 and has a tentative parole board consultation scheduled for February 2027.
Key Sources: Reporting and court records from Dateline, People, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI and contemporary news coverage.
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