Husband Killed, Wife Behind Bars

A quiet stretch of Old Robinson Road in the Pine Grove Community is where Ronald Austin lost his life. Investigators say Austin was shot and killed early Friday morning inside his car. Detectives have charged Austin's wife with capital murder.

"Sarah Burnette has been arrested in the murder of her husband," says Baldwin County Sheriff Hoss Mack. "She admitted to shooting Mr. Austin multiple times at point-blank range."

Mack says the murder is a capital murder offense because the shooting happened inside a car. Burnette was denied bond by a Baldwin County judge Friday afternoon.

"I don't know what happened, he was a good Christian," says Austin's mother, Bernice. "Hopefully we'll find out exactly what happened one day."

"It's been a very hard day," says Austin's father, Alfonzo. "But I'm a Christian and this, too, will pass."

Sheriff Mack says both the victim and suspect have an extensive criminal record including charges of reckless endangerment and domestic violence. Mack also says Austin was arrested twice for bigamy. Detectives aren't sure if the argument that led to the brutal murder was over Austin's "other" wife.

Friday's murder is the second domestic-violence related homicide in Baldwin County in less than a week.