The tragic story of LaNell Barsock and Larene Austin has captivated audiences across the nation, and now their story is being shared in a new Dateline episode titled The Breakup.
LaNell Barsock’s untimely death and the subsequent investigation that followed will be featured on the upcoming episode airing on Friday, June 14, at 10 pm ET.
The story begins with a romantic relationship between California nurse LaNell Barsock and her ex-girlfriend Larene Austin. The two met through the personal ads section of Craigslist and their friendship blossomed into a romantic connection.
However, things took a dark turn when Barsock decided to end the relationship in hopes of rekindling things with her ex-boyfriend.
On June 16, 2010, Austin made a shocking appearance at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, covered in blood. She claimed that she had slipped in Barsock’s garage, only to find her lifeless body upon entering.
Barsock was found facedown with a plastic bag over her head and a gunshot wound in the back of her head. Initially, Barsock’s boyfriend, Louis Bonheur, was the prime suspect in her murder.
However, as the investigation unfolded, it became clear that Austin had tried to frame Bonheur for the crime. Once Bonheur was cleared, Austin attempted to flee the country, traveling to Belize to escape justice.
But in a twist of fate, an episode of America’s Most Wanted aired, featuring Austin and her alleged involvement in Barsock’s murder. This led to a tip about Austin’s whereabouts, and she was eventually arrested and brought back to the United States for trial.
In the summer of 2015, Austin’s case went to trial, and on August 14, 2015, she was found guilty of first-degree murder. She was sentenced to two consecutive 25-year-to-life prison terms, and is currently serving her sentence in a California state prison. The California appeals court panel upheld Austin’s conviction in November 2017.
