19 hours ago
Fayette man pleads guilty to burning wife's body, burying her in backyard
A Fayette County man has been sentenced after he pleaded guilty to murdering his wife last year.
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On Monday, Kenneth Hardin Jr. was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his wife, Carrie Hardin.
Deputies were first made aware of the crime after they got a phone call from a home on Merlin Court on August 21, 2024. Kenneth Hardin's father called 911 and deputies went to the couple's home on Merlin Court, where they found evidence that matched his statements.
The sheriff's office told Channel 2 Action News that Kenneth Hardin confessed to his father that he'd killed his wife in self-defense the day before, burned her body and was leaving town.
In the house, deputies found signs of blood and attempts to cover up a crime scene. Sheriff Barry Babb said it appeared that Carrie Hardin died from gunshot wounds.
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A cadaver dog found the wife's burned remains in a shallow grave behind the family home.
Authorities tracked Kenneth Hardin to a motel in Louisiana, where he had checked into a motel.
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According to the Griffin Judicial Circuit, Kenneth Hardin pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including felony murder, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also received a 10-year concurrent sentence for concealing the death of another and an additional five-year consecutive sentence for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
'While nothing can bring Carrie Hardin back to her sons, I am proud of the efforts by law enforcement and my office to bring some measure of justice to her family and dignity to her legacy,' said District Attorney Marie Broder.
