ALABAMA: In a chilling murder case that unfolded over the years, two brothers have been convicted for their role in the shooting death of Sara Starr who worked as an elementary school teacher in Alabama.
The mother of twins whose original name was Sara Elizabeth Shubert Starr was killed in a "murder-for-hire" plot carried out by 50-year-old Jason Starr and his 54-year-old brother Darin Starr in November 2017, reported Law and Crime.
Who are Jason Starr and Darin Starr?
Federal prosecutors added that Jason who was previously accused of child molestation and had served in the U.S. Army, conspired with his elder brother Darin from Texas to carry out the murder of his ex-wife Sara.
It was alleged that Jason sent approximately $2,600 to Darin in the months leading to the fatal shooting and that he was aggrieved by the significant portion of his income given to Sara as per the divorce settlement.
Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama stated, "Ultimately, a judge awarded a significant portion of Jason Starr’s income to his ex-wife. Shortly after the divorce, from September 2017 to November 2017, Jason Starr sent approximately $2,600 to his brother, Darin Starr, 54, a resident of Lakehills, Texas."
"Cell phone records for Darin Starr showed that he traveled from Texas to Coffee County just before Thanksgiving in 2017 and, on multiple occasions, was very near the home of his brother’s ex-wife," they added.
Sara Starr was shot to death 'in her driveway as she was leaving for work'
The prosecution also presented evidence, citing phone records that placed Darin in the vicinity of the victim's home just before the shooting death.
"Darin Starr shot and killed his brother’s ex-wife in her driveway as she was leaving for work. Darin Starr turned his phone back on around 8:00 a.m. when he was on I-10 heading back to Texas," stated prosecutors.
The murder trial took an unexpected turn when Darin attempted to present an "alternative perpetrator" theory that suggested that a U.S. Army helicopter pilot, who had died by suicide several months after Sara's death, might have been the person of interest in the case.
The deceased pilot had left behind a suicide note implicating Jason and Darin Starr as persons of interest in the murder.
However, Darin's theory was dismissed by U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker, Jr. who ruled that there was no substantial evidence connecting the pilot to the fatal shooting.
A week and a half later, the federal jury found both Jason and Darin Starr guilty as charged.
