Larene Eleanor Austin, 33, was found guilty of first-degree murder last month in a deadly end to a love triangle with the makings of a modern soap opera. The drama started when Austin allegedly met victim Lanell Barsock, 31, on Craigslist. The women had a brief romantic relationship, according to a statement from the office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. Barsock then reportedly broke off the tryst to spend more time with her boyfriend, whose relationship preceed the Craigslist encounter. Austin later killed her with a shot to the back of the head using a handgun, officials say.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Austin tried to frame Barsock’s boyfriend, the D.A. says. She was the first to report Barsock’s murder to the police, according to local media citing investigators in the case. Barsock’s boyfriend was later cleared of involvement in the murder, and Austin became the primary suspect. She then fled to Belize, where she evaded capture for over a year. The arrest was featured on the fugitive-tracking TV show “America’s Most Wanted,” according NBC , and reportedly led to a credible tip that led to Austin’s capture by Belizean law enforcement and the FBI in 2012.
America’s Most Wanted created a dramatic reenactment of the case. You can watch a promo for the episode in the video below.
UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect Austin's sentencing.
Austin was sentenced to two consecutive 25-life terms on Wednesday. Prosecution released additional details about Austin's attempts to frame Barsock's boyfriend.
"Austin attempted to frame the victim's boyfriend for the killing, going as far as forging a letter in which the victim purportedly broke up with the boyfriend and presenting it to police, according to evidence presented at trial," the Los Angeles D.A.'s office said in a statement.
Larene Austin Promo from Cassandra Bowen on Vimeo.
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