FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — A Fayette County man was apprehended in Louisiana after he allegedly killed his wife, burned her body, buried the remains and then fled Georgia.
The Fayette County Sheriff's Office said Kenneth Hardin Jr. is a homicide suspect in the death of his wife Carrie Hardin. The tip that led authorities to him came from his own father, who called 911 after he allegedly told family members he'd killed the wife "in self-defense."
Her partially burned remains were found in a shallow grave in a wooded area behind the Hardins' home shortly after Kenneth Hardin's father contacted 911 on August 21 to report his son had "confessed to family members that he killed his wife in self-defense, burned her body, and was leaving town," the sheriff's office said.
This came after the couple reportedly had an argument in the early morning hours of August 21. After Hardin's father called 911, Fayette County deputies responded to the home on Merlin Court where they "discovered evidence consistent with the father's statement," leading to the finding of Carrie Hardin's remains.
Kenneth Hardin's car was tracked to Covington, Louisiana, where a local SWAT team took him into custody at a motel.
"He has since been booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center as a fugitive and is currently awaiting extradition to Georgia," the Fayette County Sheriff's Office said. The agency added that its detectives are in Louisiana "conducting further investigations and questioning Kenneth Hardin Jr."
So far no charges have been announced against Kenneth Hardin.
The Fayette Sheriff's Office added in a statement:
Sheriff (Barry) Babb would like to extend his gratitude and appreciation to all the agencies and individuals who contributed their time, effort and expertise on this case. The collaborative efforts of the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, the Louisiana State Patrol, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office and Cadaver Dog Handler, Tracy Sargeant, were instrumental in swiftly locating the suspect and bringing closure to the family. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office remains dedicated to actively pursuing justice and diligently working to investigate this tragic crime.
