MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A pair of brothers were convicted by a federal grand jury in the murder-for-hire scheme that resulted in the death of one of their former wives in 2017, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Sara Starr, a 36-year-old mother of four, was killed on Nov. 27, 2017. Prosecutors said the motive in her murder was to avoid paying more than $3,000 in monthly support to her and her children.
Sara Starr died from two shotgun blasts fired at point-blank range as she walked out of her rural Coffee County, Alabama home. It was four years before a grand jury indicted her former husband and his brother.
"Someone finally listened to us,” Dena Luchi, a family friend of the victim, said.
Luchi spoke for the victim’s family after a jury found Sara Starr's former husband, Jason Starr, and his brother Darin, guilty of conspiring to kill the mother of four.
"Justice has been served,” Luchi said.
"The evidence that we produced for the jurors was clearly quite compelling," Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Wendell said.
According to court documents, in 2017, Jason Starr, 50, of Coffee Springs, Alabama went through a divorce with his former wife, Sara. A judge awarded a significant portion of Jason Starr’s income to Sara Starr.
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. Lakehills is in Bandera County just northwest of San Antonio.
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.
Darin Starr turned his phone back on around 8 a.m. when he was on Interstate 10 heading back to Texas, according to court records.
In rendering its verdict, the jury determined that the money sent by Jason Starr to his brother was payment for the murder of his ex-wife.
"Some people thought they were smarter than police officials and they weren't," Luchi said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Jason and Darin Starr will face sentencing in the coming months. Both face life in prison without parole for their convictions.
“The tragedy endured by the victim’s family is unthinkable,” U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Stewart said. “I am grateful for the hard work of all the investigating agencies in this case. Their efforts resulted in bringing Jason and Darin Starr to justice.”