Alabama man accused of hiring brother as hitman to kill wife amid bitter divorce battle
Schoolteacher Sara Starr was shot and killed outside her home in Coffee County in November 2017
An Alabama man has been accused of hiring his brother as a hitman to kill his ex-wife and mother of his four children because he didn’t want to pay her $2,550 a month in their divorce for child support.
Jason Starr allegedly paid his brother Darin Starr with cash and a motorcycle to shoot dead schoolteacher Sara Starr back in November 2017, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed this week.
Jason Starr was arrested on 7 December over the suspected murder-for-hire plot but his brother was only publicly identified as a second suspect in the slaying this week.
The FBI said in a press release that a federal arrest warrant had been issued for Darin Starr on 2 December after he was charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire.
But the 53-year-old remains on the run two months on. He has been placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, with a reward of up to $20,000 offered for information leading to his arrest.
Ms Starr, a 38-year-old mother of two sets of twins, was shot and killed outside her home on 27 November 2017 in Coffee County when she was on her way to work as a fourth grade teacher at Harrand Creek Elementary School.
Her body was found in her driveway after her coworkers grew concerned that she hadn’t shown up for work.
Jason Starr had been a suspect in her murder from the get-go as the pair were entangled in a bitter divorce battle and her death came just days after a court ordered him to pay her $2,550 a month, reported WTVY.
However he had an alibi that he was eating in a cafe at the time of the killing.
According to court documents, Jason Starr had paid his brother with a 2016 Triumph motorcycle and cash to kill her.
Jason Starr has pleaded not guilty to murder-for-hire charges and is free on personal recognizance while he awaits trial.
The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $10,000 and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey an additional $10,000 for information leading to Darin Starr’s arrest.
“Let’s go find him; let’s get him,” Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton said on Thursday.
Darin Starr is from Texas and is said to have ties to Lakehills, Texas, San Antonio, Texas, Glendale, Arizona, and Colebrook, Connecticut.
He is described as a white male with brown hair and hazel eyes and is six foot four inches tall and weighs around 200 pounds.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI on 800-CALL-FBI or online.