Who killed LaNell Barsock and where are they now? Details explored ahead of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered

On June 16, 2010, La’Rene Austin arrived at the Palmdale Sheriff's station covered in blood and frantic. She told authorities she had found her friend LaNell dead in the garage. Detectives arrived at the scene to find LaNell with a plastic bag over her head, blood on the floor, and signs of an interrupted attempt to move her body.

LaNell, a 29-year-old nurse, was known for her kindness and generosity. She was dating Louis Bonheur, a man she had met while taking nursing classes. Their relationship, however, was fraught with jealousy and control issues.

Investigators initially zeroed in on Louis. This is because he had a history of controlling behavior, including going through LaNell’s phone and tracking her movements. Just months before her death, LaNell tried to break up with him, leading to a dramatic car chase where Louis allegedly tried to run her off the road.

However, the real killer was La'Rene Austin, who is currently incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Los Angeles.

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The true culprit

On the day LaNell was killed, she and Austin planned a beauty day at her home. Louis left the house but returned unexpectedly after discovering LaNell had been texting another man. Witnesses reported arguments between LaNell and Louis throughout the day.

Despite the evidence pointing to Louis, his alibi checked out. Surveillance footage showed him miles away from the crime scene. Investigators then revisited La’Rene Austin’s account and found inconsistencies.

Austin had claimed to be a longtime friend of LaNell, but it was revealed they had met only weeks earlier through a Craigslist ad. Their relationship was romantic, but LaNell had ended it, wanting to remain just friends. This rejection fueled Austin’s obsession.

Investigators found physical evidence linking Austin to the murder, including her bloody footprint at the scene and bullets in her purse matching the murder weapon. She also forged a breakup letter to mislead detectives, framing Louis as the killer.

After fleeing to Belize, Austin was featured on "America’s Most Wanted" and later apprehended. In 2015, she was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive 25-to-life terms.

Austin remains incarcerated, serving her sentence for the brutal murder of LaNell Barsock.

The case is a chilling reminder of how appearances can be deceiving. It underscores the importance of thorough investigations and challenges the assumptions detectives might initially make.

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Watch The Dateline: Secrets Uncovered episode titled The Breakup on January 15, 2025, at 8 p.m. EST to know more about the case.

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