Who Is La’Rene Austin & Where Is She Now? 2026 Update & Background
La’Rene Austin is a woman at the center of one of Palmdale, California’s most unsettling murder cases. In 2010, she presented herself to law enforcement as a distraught friend who had just discovered the body of nurse LaNell Barsock. What police didn’t know at the time was that Austin wasn’t just a witness—she was the killer.
At the time of the murder, Austin had no steady job and was reportedly under financial stress. She met LaNell Barsock through a Craigslist personals ad in the “women seeking women” section. The two struck up a romantic relationship that quickly turned volatile. Although Austin referred to LaNell as her best friend of 10 years, investigators later revealed that they had only known each other for a few weeks.
Austin became fixated on LaNell’s life. She envied her success, her large home, and her independence. Prosecutors later argued that Austin was obsessed—not just emotionally, but psychologically—and had even begun to impersonate LaNell, reportedly using her name while dating other women. Friends and detectives described her behavior as controlling and manipulative, driven by jealousy and entitlement.
- “The Breakup”: Dateline Reports on LaNell Barsock Homicide January 24 2026
- Who Was LaNell Barsock & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Background
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The Murder and the Deception
On June 16, 2010, LaNell Barsock was found dead in the garage of her Palmdale home with a plastic bag over her head and a gunshot wound to her skull. La’Rene Austin was the one who alerted police. She told investigators she had returned to the house and found her friend’s body, then claimed she saw LaNell’s boyfriend, Louis Bonheur, fleeing the scene.
Austin’s statement led to Bonheur’s arrest. Investigators found what appeared to be a breakup note at the scene, written to look like it was from LaNell. The note claimed she was leaving Bonheur for another man. The evidence seemed to support Austin’s story—until it didn’t.
Bonheur’s alibi checked out. Surveillance footage confirmed he had been in Los Angeles at the time of the murder, far from Palmdale. When detectives revisited Austin’s account, they found several inconsistencies. Forensic evidence ultimately linked Austin to the crime: her DNA was found on bloody latex gloves and on a fingerprint in the garage. Authorities determined she had staged the scene to frame Bonheur.
Trial and Conviction
After police uncovered the truth, Austin fled California. She was eventually located in Belize following a tip prompted by a feature on America’s Most Wanted. U.S. authorities extradited her to face murder charges.
In 2015, La’Rene Austin stood trial for the first-degree murder of LaNell Barsock. The prosecution argued that the killing was motivated by jealousy and rejection. Austin had become infatuated with LaNell and could not accept the end of their brief relationship. When LaNell chose to focus on her boyfriend, Austin reacted violently.
The jury found Austin guilty. She was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 25 years to life in prison.
Where Is La’Rene Austin Now?
As of 2026, La’Rene Austin is incarcerated at the California Institution for Women, a state prison in Chino, California. She remains in custody under the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, serving out her sentence with no possibility of parole until several decades from now.
Austin’s story serves as a stark example of how obsession and manipulation can escalate into violence. Her calculated effort to mislead investigators and frame another person initially succeeded—but the truth eventually unraveled her lies, resulting in her arrest and conviction.
