In a shocking turn of events, two brothers have been convicted by a federal jury for their roles in the tragic shooting death of a beloved elementary school teacher and mother of two sets of twins in Alabama.
This heartbreaking incident unfolded in November 2017, sending shockwaves through the community.
U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart expressed her gratitude for the efforts of the investigating agencies and emphasized the gravity of the crime, describing it as "unthinkable." Sara Starr's family, in their grief, remembered her as a loving mother who cherished her children and fulfilled her dream of being a dedicated teacher, making her loss all the more devastating.
The accused, 50-year-old Jason Starr, a former U.S. Army member with a history of child molestation allegations, was found guilty of conspiring to murder his ex-wife, 38-year-old Sara Elizabeth Shubert Starr.
The plot was allegedly set in motion just four months after the couple's divorce.
The motive behind this heinous crime stemmed from a contentious divorce settlement. Following their divorce, Jason Starr was ordered by a judge to provide a significant portion of his income to his ex-wife, Sara Starr.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Jason had transferred approximately $2,600 to his brother, 54-year-old Darin Starr, who resided in Lakehills, Texas.
Cell phone records played a crucial role in the prosecution's case, showing that Darin Starr had traveled from Texas to Coffee County, Alabama, just before Thanksgiving in 2017.
During the critical time frame, his phone was turned off for a seven-hour period from midnight until the morning of the shooting. Tragically, Sara Starr was shot and killed in her driveway as she was leaving for work.
Darin Starr turned his phone back on around 8:00 a.m. while en route to Texas.
Legal proceedings took a dramatic turn when the defense attempted to introduce an "alternative perpetrator" theory, suggesting that a U.S. Army helicopter pilot who died by suicide months after Sara Starr's death might have been responsible.
However, this theory was dismissed by the judge, who found it to be based on speculation and conjecture with no substantial evidence linking the pilot to the crime.
Subsequently, the Starr brothers were convicted as charged.
They were remanded into the custody of U.S. Marshals to await their sentencing, which could result in severe penalties under 18 U.S. Code § 1958, the murder-for-hire statute.
U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart expressed her gratitude for the efforts of the investigating agencies and emphasized the gravity of the crime, describing it as "unthinkable." Sara Starr's family, in their grief, remembered her as a loving mother who cherished her children and fulfilled her dream of being a dedicated teacher, making her loss all the more devastating.
In a different shocking case from Oregon, a 30-year-old woman, Sharday McDonald, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for her abusive actions towards her 13-month-old son after she put him in a freezer to "test" the child's dad. See detailed story here.
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