A Fayette County man was arrested Thursday in Louisiana after authorities say he killed his wife at their home and partially burned her body in a pile a yard debris earlier this week.
Kenneth Hardin Jr., 39, was arrested in Covington, Louisiana, one day after he was identified as a suspect in his wife’s murder, Fayette Sheriff Barry Babb announced. Hardin’s wife, Carrie Hardin, was shot and killed early Tuesday morning, Babb said.
According to the sheriff, Hardin is cooperating with the investigation and admitted to killing his wife. The couple share two children and they had no history of serious domestic incidents with the sheriff’s office, Babb said.
Credit: Fayette County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Fayette County Sheriff's Office
Hardin told investigators he and his wife got into an argument after midnight Tuesday and that alcohol was involved, according to Babb. The argument escalated to the point that Kenneth Hardin fatally shot her, Babb said. Hardin later told family members he shot his wife in self-defense, the sheriff said.
Hardin told some family about the incident Wednesday, adding that he’d burned Carrie’s body and left town, Babb said. Hardin’s father called police to report the situation, and Fayette deputies began searching for the suspect and investigating the couple’s large home on Merlin Court in Fayetteville.
Investigators found Carrie Hardin’s partially burned body in a shallow grave underneath a pile of yard debris behind the home, which is located in a heavily wooded neighborhood, Babb said. The sheriff said it appeared she had died after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
The sheriff’s office said its investigators tracked Kenneth Hardin’s car to Covington, Louisiana, about 450 miles away from his Fayetteville home. Covington is located on the northern side of Lake Pontchartrain, across from New Orleans.
Authorities caught up with Hardin at a motel in Covington. The St. Tammany Parish SWAT unit took Hardin into custody and he was booked into the parish’s correctional center on Thursday as a fugitive, Babb said. Detectives from the Fayette sheriff’s office are in Louisiana continuing the investigation and questioning Hardin.
About the Author
