The Killer Within: The Murder That Shook Palmdale - LaNell Barsock Story

0:01 Sirens pierced the calm California night as detectives surveyed the grisly scene. Linnell Barsock, brutally murdered in her own home. Who could have done such a thing? Why target a quiet widow with no enemies? The warning signs were there, but no one expected this. As investigators dig deeper into Linnell's tangled web of relationships, they uncover a woman haunted by past betrayals and dangerous liaisons. Will her killer remain at large, or will justice prevail in Palmdale? Nothing is as it seems.

0:41 Welcome to no tears for Black girls. In today's episode, we'll delve into the harrowing murder of Linnell Barsock, a beloved vocational nurse who seemed to have it all. A successful career, a beautiful home, and dreams of opening her own care facility. But her life took a tragic turn when she was found brutally murdered, setting off an investigation that would reveal a dark web of jealousy and betrayal. Her close friend, Lorraine Austin, initially appeared to be a witness, But as detectives dug deeper, they uncovered shocking evidence pointing to Lorraine herself as the killer. Join us as we piece together the forensic clues, the emotional betrayals, and the complex relationships that led to this devastating crime. The brutal slaying of Linnell Barsock in 2010 shook the city of Palmdale to its core.

1:36 As investigators sifted through the evidence left behind at her lavish California home, they could only imagine the terror she must have experienced in her final moments. But as they delve deeper into the case, they uncovered a dark, twisted web of deception within Linnell's personal life in Los Angeles County. Palmdale may seem like a tranquil Oasis amidst the harsh Mojave Desert, but beneath its picturesque facade lies a city plagued by greed and corruption. And for someone like Linnell, who craved love and acceptance, it proved to be a deadly mistake.

2:16 Power and wealth trump compassion and kindness In this affluent community, where high paying jobs at companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing reign supreme, even those closest to you could turn out to be your greatest enemy. On June 16th, 2010, Lorraine Austin burst into the Palmdale police station in panic. She frantically explained that her friend Linnell was dead, an unimaginable discovery she had made just moments ago. In Linnell's garage, Lorraine described a gruesome scene, Lynnell lying on her back with a plastic bag over her head, surrounded by blood soaked towels and bedding. Despite her efforts to save her friend, Lorraine realized she could do nothing.

3:03 Before she could call for help, she heard strange noises inside the house and fled to the police station. When homicide detectives arrived at the sprawling mansion on Rocky Lane, they found the scene precisely as Lorraine had described. Linnell's body lay next to her expensive BMW in the garage, but it was evident she had been moved from another location within the house. The trunk of her car revealed even more evidence, a collection of bloody bedding and a pillow with a bullet hole. It was clear that this was not a simple case of blunt force trauma. Linnell had been brutally murdered in cold blood. Now it was up to the detectives to unravel the twisted events that took place in that house and catch the heartless killer responsible for her death.

3:54 A thorough forensic investigation was conducted inside the house, but all evidence pointed to a carefully planned and executed murder. The only fingerprints found were on a dark picture, suggesting that the killers had thoughtfully cleaned up after themselves. However, their efforts were interrupted as towels and sheets were scattered around the garage and laundry area. Inside the house, there was evidence of an attempted cleanup, but it seemed the killer had fled before finishing the task. Cleaning products were haphazardly left out in the garage, while small stains and a single shell casing were found in the living room.

4:35 Surprisingly, the carpet in this area was spotless except for one rectangular ring of discoloration where an area rug had been hastily stuffed into a car. Luminol testing revealed a trail that led from the living room to the kitchen and into the garage, showing that the killer had attempted to dispose of evidence. But why did they stop halfway through? It is possible that they were interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Lorraine, who later testified to encountering the killer in the residence. Unfortunately, Linnell did not survive her encounter with the killer. Her autopsy revealed a single gunshot wound to the back of her head, indicating she was caught off guard and possibly sitting down. At the time of the attack, Linnell was known as a peacemaker and a successful woman, loved by her family, especially her mother Bobby.

5:32 Growing up in Los Angeles, she excelled academically and pursued a career in nursing at Long Beach College before her life was taken. At 29, Linnell had already achieved her dream of becoming a licensed vocational nurse with even bigger plans for her future. She owned a spacious 6 bedroom home in Palmdale, which she intended to convert into an elderly care facility and start her own business. Her partner, Louis Benaire, an immigrant from Haiti, shared her dreams and ambitions. They met in 2005 at a language facility where Linnell was studying for her nursing degree while Louis attended English classes. 1 evening after class, Linnell offered to give Louis a ride home and they quickly hit it off.

6:21 Friends say that there was an immediate connection between them. Their love had withstood the test of time, or so they thought. Lorraine and Linnell have been inseparable since high school, but their four year relationship was shaky. Little did anyone know Linnell had kept secrets from her best friend for the past four months. She met Ike through a website calledfling.com and carried on an affair behind Louis's back, going to great lengths to hide it by using a second phone. The facade came crashing down when Louis discovered the truth about her infidelity. But instead of ending things, they tried to work through their issues.

7:02 However, Louis's controlling and jealous behavior only intensified. He constantly monitored her movements and checked her phone, causing tension. On the day of Linnell's murder, Louis found evidence that she was still in contact with Ike. In a rage, he confronted her while Lorraine was out running errands. Feeling like the couple needed space to work things out, Lorraine left for several hours before returning home later that evening. But tragedy struck when investigators found Linnell's body in the garage and all signs pointed to Louis as the killer. When they arrived at Bobby's house in Hawthorne to inform him of his girlfriend's death, they found Louis staying over something he often did before his maintenance job in Palmdale. He was arrested and taken in for questioning, claiming not to know what happened to Linnell.

7:58 Despite Lorraine and Bobby's portrayals of Louis and Linnell's relationship as seemingly idyllic, it was filled with constant arguments and flaws. Jealousy and possessiveness seem to be the underlying motivations behind Louis's senseless act of violence against the woman he professed to love. After another heated argument, Linnell reached out to her mother in fear and desperation. She had fled from her home in her car, still shaken and tear stained. When she spoke to the authorities, Louis, her current partner, openly admitted that their relationship was rocky with incidents of physical altercations, including one where she left a scratch on his cheek. He dismissed these issues as typical in any relationship but vehemently denied any involvement in Linnell's murder. However, evidence found at the crime scene strongly supported Lorraine's accusations against Louis. A handwritten letter addressed to him and signed by Linnell was found on the kitchen floor, seemingly forgotten or discarded during Louis's attempt to cover up the murder. In this letter, Linnell revealed her plans to leave Louis and move out of state with Ike, her former lover, even mentioning leaving him the second phone as it no longer mattered. Despite Louis's denials, detectives remained suspicious and decided to question him further as they continued their investigation into Linnell's disappearance. Eventually, they informed Louis

9:30 about Linnell's death and obtained a warrant to search his black Nissan truck. They hope to find evidence connecting him to the crime scene, but what they found instead was shocking receipts for car parts purchased in Los Angeles around the time of the murder. These receipts had time stamps and dates that placed Louis in LA within 20 minutes of Linnell's estimated time of death. According to Lorraine's timeline and security footage from the beauty shop where Linnell was last seen alive, she had returned home at 2:30 PM and was killed shortly after that. This further solidified their suspicions that Louis could be responsible for her murder. Surveillance footage and cell phone data confirmed that he was indeed in Los Angeles at the time of her death.

10:16 As the small town of Springfield reeled from the savage murder of Linnell, suspicion fell on Ike, the man engaged to be married to her, according to a letter addressed to Louis. But as investigators delve deeper into suspects, they discovered that Ike had been present during the time of the murder. With him and Louis both cleared, attention turned to Lorraine Austin, a potential candidate for a State University position, who had been seen at the scene. But during questioning, Lorraine's behavior raised red flags. A search of her purse uncovered a bullet she claimed to have found near the crime scene, but further investigation revealed another identical bullet in her possession with no legal firearm registration.

11:01 Despite multiple interrogations, Lorraine did not explain the bullets or her presence at the scene. Surveillance footage also showed that Louis was miles away at an auto repair shop when Linnell was killed, contradicting Lorraine's claim that he was confronting her about infidelity. It also placed him at Bobby's house the same day, making it impossible to be where Lorraine claimed to have seen him. But perhaps the most shocking revelation was that Lorraine wasn't a close friend of Linnell's as she had claimed. She had amassed thousands of dollars in debt and was living rent free with her mother. After a month in jail, Louis was finally released and all eyes turned towards Lorraine, the prime suspect.

11:47 But who was this woman? Investigators dug deeper and uncovered a web of lies and deceit surrounding Lorraine's true identity and her motives for murdering Linnell. Their investigation revealed that Lorraine occasionally made money through hairdressing work she found on Craigslist ads, including one with Linnell just weeks before her death. What started as a brief romantic encounter between two women seeking each other out quickly turned into a deadly game fuelled by jealousy and desperation. Detectives were convinced that Lorraine was envious of Linnell's lavish lifestyle. The successful nurse had a thriving career, a swanky car, and an impressive house in an upscale neighborhood. Although she had not yet fully furnished her home, it was still filled with expensive gadgets like massive flat screen TV's scattered throughout the spacious interior. It wasn't far fetched to believe that Lorraine wanted to be part of Linnell's luxurious world.

12:50 After talking to those close to her, investigators found out that she had been going on dates using Linnell's middle name, Crystal, as her own and bragging about owning ABMW since meeting the hairdresser. However, Linnell did not reciprocate Lorraine's feelings towards their relationship. During their investigation, police discovered a text message from Linnell's phone sent just five days before her murder. In it, she expressed her desire to work things out with her boyfriend, Louis, but suggested remaining friends. She also mentioned wanting Lorraine to continue doing her hair for her. This text message ultimately became the true motive behind the murder, not the letter found at the crime scene. Handwriting experts confirmed that Lorraine, not Linnell, wrote the letter to Louis.

13:41 When lab results from the crime scene finally came back, they overwhelmingly pointed to Lorraine as the culprit. Latex gloves found at the scene were tested for DNA and matched those belonging to the 29 year old hairdresser. A shoe print on an area rug was removed from the living room and later found in the back seat of Linnell's BMW, which also belonged to Lorraine. Furthermore, a thumbprint on a picture discovered at the scene also matched her. Although no murder weapon was ever recovered, evidence continued to pile up against Lorraine, such as state records showing that she had purchased a 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol shortly after other physical evidence had been uncovered.

14:25 The gun was a recent purchase, and it took weeks for the database to update. This left detectives unaware of its existence when they first questioned Lorraine Austin. However, once the gun was discovered, it became the final piece of the puzzle in the murder of Linnell Barsock. Investigators believe that Lorraine, consumed by feelings of spite, jealousy, and resentment towards her friend's success and happiness, pulled out her gun from her bag while styling her hair in the living room. Using a pillowcase as a makeshift silencer, she shot Linnell from behind as she sat facing away.

15:06 The elaborate cleanup may have been part of her initial plan to cover up the crime, but she ultimately abandoned it due to a lack of strength to move Linnell's body into the car. Instead, she decided to frame Louis for the murder, but when Lewis was released and no longer a suspect, Lorraine realized she would soon be caught and arrested for the crime. After fleeing the country and evading capture for years, Lorraine Austin was finally located thanks to an episode of America's Most Wanted featuring Linnell's story and images of Lorraine. A viewer tip led the FBI to Central America, where Lorraine was apprehended in Belize in January 2012. She was extradited to the United States without delay. The once helpful and supportive friend who provided law enforcement with any necessary information to find Linnell's killer was now gone.

16:05 When Lauren returned to speak with the homicide team, she was evasive and uncooperative. She complained about her portrayal in the press as a Leech who befriended Linnell for personal gain and became jealous and angry when rejected. On August 13th, 2015, Lorraine Austin was found guilty by a Los Angeles jury of first degree murder and using a handgun during the crime. Each conviction earned her a sentence of 25 years. Despite an appeal to California's Second District Court in 2017 based on alleged procedural misconduct during jury selection, Lorraine remains behind bars, serving a sentence of 50 years to life.

16:48 Meanwhile, Linnell's fiance went on to marry and start a family, while her loved ones continued to mourn her loss. Linnell is remembered as a dedicated, joyful and affectionate young woman whose time was cut short. This is the devastating true Crime Story of Linnell Barsock and the friend who turned against her in a fit of jealousy and rage. Thank you for tuning in to No Tears for Black Girls. This series is skillfully crafted by acclaimed writer and producer Jon Reedberg with the guidance of unapologetic host Samantha Paul. Catch new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday on all major podcast platforms. You can listen anywhere, anytime, and if you truly enjoy our content, please leave a five star rating and positive review. Remember to stay loved, stay blessed, and stay safe.