La’Rene Austin Now. Inside Her Life After Murdering Her ‘Best Friend’ and Framing the Victim’s Boyfriend

La’Rene Austin showed up at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in blood-soaked clothing, visibly shaken, and told deputies she had just found her “best friend,” LaNell Barsock, dead. Her story, later detailed on the Jan. 23 episode of Dateline, immediately pointed the finger at Barsock’s boyfriend, Louis Bonheur.

Austin claimed Barsock and Bonheur had been fighting over Barsock’s infidelity. She alleged Bonheur killed Barsock, spotted Austin, and then chased her in his car as she fled to the sheriff’s station, according to Oxygen.

Bonheur was arrested — but that case unraveled fast. Investigators confirmed his alibi and determined he had not been near the crime scene. As detectives dug deeper into Barsock’s life, the investigation took a dramatic turn: Barsock had recently had a brief romantic relationship with Austin — someone she’d known only for a few weeks — and messages suggested Barsock had ended it shortly before her death.

Police ultimately concluded Austin was the killer, citing DNA evidence found at the scene and communications showing the relationship’s breakup. Before detectives could take her into custody, Austin fled the country. She was later located in Belize after her case appeared on America’s Most Wanted, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.

Below is what investigators and prosecutors have said about the case — and where Austin is now.

Who is La’Rene Austin?

In 2010, Austin was living in Palmdale, California, reportedly in debt and struggling to keep steady employment. Around that time, she posted a personal ad on Craigslist, where she connected with Barsock.

“They met through Craigslist,” Detective Joe Espino said on Dateline. He described the relationship as a friendship that escalated into romance.

Espino also claimed on Crime Watch Daily that Austin was involved with multiple women she met through Craigslist, but he said she focused most intensely on Barsock and imagined a future with her.

Detective Robert Kenney added that Austin believed Barsock represented a life-changing opportunity — someone who could provide stability and the lifestyle she wanted.

Who was LaNell Barsock, and what happened to her?

Barsock was a 29-year-old nurse working at a health center in Los Angeles, according to Dateline. Espino described her as successful and well-established, living in a large home. A close friend, Marcel Fomotar, said Barsock helped him adjust to life in the U.S. after immigrating from Cameroon, calling her his “guardian angel.”

Barsock was dating Louis Bonheur, an immigrant from Haiti. They met at school and began a relationship that investigators later described as strained by money issues, infidelity, and volatile arguments. Espino claimed Bonheur had a jealous, controlling side, and that there had been reports of domestic disputes and stalking behavior.

Detectives also learned Bonheur knew Barsock had been unfaithful with a man named Ike Umuna.

On the evening of June 16, 2010, Austin ran into the Palmdale station covered in blood, saying she had discovered Barsock’s body in the garage. Detectives found Barsock had been shot once in the head, with a black plastic bag placed over her head.

Investigators later concluded Barsock was shot inside the home, with a pillow used to muffle the sound, and her body was moved to the garage.

How did Austin try to pin the murder on Louis Bonheur?

From the start, Austin told deputies Bonheur was the killer. She said she saw him at the scene and claimed he chased her all the way to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators also found a handwritten note that appeared to show Barsock leaving Bonheur for Umuna, a detail that initially added fuel to Austin’s accusation.

Police tracked down Bonheur at Barsock’s mother’s home. He admitted he and Barsock had argued earlier in the day but insisted he had been at auto supply stores and then at Barsock’s mom’s house for most of the evening. He repeatedly denied involvement.

Even so, Bonheur was arrested and spent more than a month in jail as the investigation continued. Over time, detectives began to suspect they were headed in the wrong direction.

How was Austin eventually caught?

The case against Bonheur collapsed after surveillance footage from auto parts stores supported his alibi. Meanwhile, detectives could not confirm key parts of Austin’s timeline.

Investigators also discovered Austin had lied about being Barsock’s longtime friend. The two had only met weeks earlier through Craigslist. Messages showed they’d had a brief romantic relationship — and that Barsock had ended it shortly before her death.

Prosecutor Jason Quirino said it became clear Austin’s feelings were far stronger than Barsock’s, and that the breakup appeared to be a major turning point.

Physical evidence further tied Austin to the scene: her DNA and a fingerprint were found at the home, and investigators later learned she owned the same type of gun used in the killing.

By the time detectives assembled the full picture, Austin had fled. After the case was featured on America’s Most Wanted, authorities located her in Belize. The FBI said she was taken into custody without incident on Jan. 25, 2012, extradited to the United States later that day, and arrested for Barsock’s murder.

Austin went to trial in 2015 and was convicted of first-degree murder and using a firearm in the killing. Later that month, she was sentenced to two consecutive 25-years-to-life prison terms, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Where is La’Rene Austin now?

Austin is serving her sentence at the California Institution for Women in Chino, California, according to California inmate records.

She is eligible for parole in February 2032, and a parole board consultation is tentatively scheduled for February 2027.