Man paid his brother a motorcycle to kill his ex-wife — an Alabama teacher, feds say

A man paid his brother with cash and a motorcycle to shoot his ex-wife — a teacher in Alabama — in a murder-for-hire plot, according to recently unsealed federal court documents.

Jason Starr was arrested Dec. 7 in Coffee County, Alabama. But his brother, 53-year-old Darin Starr, is still on the run.

Darin Starr, who was born in North Carolina but has ties to Texas, Arizona, and Connecticut, is wanted for the murder of his former sister-in-law, 38-year-old Sara Starr, on Nov. 27, 2017. A federal arrest warrant was issued in the Middle District of Alabama on Dec. 2 after Darin Starr was charged alongside his brother with the use of interstate commerce in the commission of a murder-for-hire.

The indictment, filed Dec. 1, wasn’t unsealed until Jan. 24, court documents show. Investigators have released few details about the alleged plot, but the grand jury said Jason Starr gave his brother a 2016 Triumph motorcycle and an undisclosed amount of money to kill his ex-wife.

Jason Starr’s defense attorney could not be immediately reached for comment by McClatchy News.

‘Loved by her students’

Sara Starr was a mother to two sets of twins and a fourth-grade teacher at Harrand Creek Elementary School, The Birmingham News reported. Her classroom “always smelled like coffee,” a former student said, and she loved to tell jokes.

“Sara Elizabeth’s children were the loves of her life,” her obituary read. “She loved them more than anything else. She loved her parents, grandparents, siblings and other family members. Teaching was always her dream. She excelled in the classroom and was loved by her students.”

Sara Starr’s coworkers got worried on the morning of Nov. 27, 2017, when she didn’t show up to school and went to her house in Enterprise, Alabama, where they found her body in the driveway, WTVY reported.

Investigators determined she died “sometime after 6:30 a.m.,” The Southeast Sun reported. Sheriff’s deputies arrived about two hours later at 8:30 a.m. According to an autopsy report included in federal court filings, she died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Homicide investigation

Law enforcement began investigating her death as a homicide, and Jason Starr, of Daleville, Alabama, was an early suspect. But he had an alibi — he was eating breakfast at a cafe when his ex-wife was killed, WTVY reported.

“We knew — we had strong, decent evidence early on,” Tom Anderson, district attorney in the 12th Judicial Circuit, said during a Dec. 7 news conference live streamed by WTVY after Jason Starr was arrested. “But knowing somebody did something and being able to prove somebody did something are two totally different things.”

Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton wouldn’t comment on a motive but confirmed Jason Starr had been served with a document a few days before Sara Starr’s death that would have required him to pay $2,500 a month to his former wife and children.

The sheriff said Jason Starr was taken into custody without incident. Anderson told reporters one of the deputies who was there described him as “pretty smug” during the arrest.

“I think he’s always thought that he’s above everything,” Anderson said at the news conference.

Jason Starr pleaded not guilty during an arraignment hearing on Jan. 26, court documents show. A jury trial has been set for June 27. He is also facing charges of child sex abuse in a separate state court case, The Southeast Sun reported.

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Darin Starr. Anyone with information is asked to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

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