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“Open & Shut” Murder Case Blown WIDE Open By What They Found: Who Killed LaNell Barsock?

43m 14s

“Open & Shut” Murder Case Blown WIDE Open By What They Found: Who Killed LaNell Barsock?

The podcast features a mix of product promotions and a gripping true crime story. It begins with a commercial highlighting the 2026 Toyota RAV4, promoting its stylish design, smart technology, and hybrid efficiency. This is followed by a segment on Kewpie Mayo, a Japanese mayonnaise made with egg yolks known for its rich flavor and popularity among chefs. The core of the episode is a deeply disturbing real-life murder case: Linnell Barsock, a kind and dedicated woman, is found dead in her garage in 2016, with signs of a violent, personal crime. Initial suspicion falls on her boyfriend, Louis, due to relationship conflicts, but forensic evidence—such as a damning "Dear John" letter, DNA traces, and financial records—exposes a deeper truth. The real killer is revealed to be Lorraine Austin, who had a brief, sexual relationship with Linnell and was consumed by jealousy and obsession. She attempted to frame Louis, planned to dispose of the body, and fled to Belize, where she was eventually apprehended after a media feature. Despite her efforts to deny guilt, evidence including fingerprints, bloodstains, and a matching gun proves her involvement. She was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life. The case serves as a powerful reminder of emotional manipulation, deception, and the devastating consequences of unchecked jealousy. The narrative honors Linnell’s positive impact on her community and the lives she touched, while highlighting the trauma endured by her family and friends. The episode concludes with a personal reflection on justice, healing, and the importance of true connections in the face of betrayal.

Transcription

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English
Hey, it's Mario Lopez from the All Mario Lopez Daily Podcast. All right. Quick question. You ever notice how some cars just steal the spotlight? Well, that's the 2026 Toyota RAV4. It's got bold standout style, intuitive tech inside, and now hybrid power standard, which means efficiency without the need to plug in. So whether you care about looks, smarts, or just everyday practicality, RAV4 brings all of it. If you've been holding out for the right SUV, this is your sign. Check out the 2026 Toyota RAV4 at your local Toyota dealer or visit toyota.com. See packages and options at toyota.com for feature availability. This is Matt Rogers from Lost Culture East. That's with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture East. We've been talking about Kewpie Mayo for a minute now. And wow, so many of you already love this stuff. And if you're thinking, wait, what is Kewpie? Do you not have the internet? It's the OG Japanese mayonnaise. The one with the red. The one with the red cap. What makes it different? Egg yolks. Kewpie is made with egg yolks only, giving it this rich umami flavor that elevates everything. Chefs use it. Restaurants use it. Where chefs work, of course. Food and flavor lovers use it. You haven't tried it yet? Well, find the red cap and see what everyone's talking about, why don't ya? Kewpie. The original Japanese mayonnaise. Kewpie. On the evening of June 10th, 2016, a barefooted woman named Lorraine Austin ran into the local sheriff's office in Palmdale, California. She was frantic, she was covered in blood, and between her gasping for breath, she explained that she had just found her best friend of 10 years, Linnell Barsock, murdered inside her garage. And she didn't know what happened, just that she came back to her house after leaving Linnell and her boyfriend. Alone to argue for a few hours, only to discover that her friend was no longer alive. And what she explained was only the start of what investigators would soon uncover. And when they went to her home, it was very obvious that something horrific had occurred there, and that someone clearly tried to get away in a hurry. But the question was, who? The murder of Linnell Barsock is one that no one could have seen coming. And her case really does serve. As a reminder that what you see is not always what you get. Today's case is one that truly had me in shock at every single turning point as I was researching. And I am a huge consumer of thriller books. I love them. And it reminded me of one of my thriller books. But the thing is that's so devastating is this is not a thriller book. This is not fiction. This is someone's real life, and her life is now over. Before getting into this episode, I just. I just wanted to thank you all for listening to and supporting my show, and also any of the Mile Higher Media shows. Your support makes it possible for us to continue funding grants through my foundation, Higher Hope, which supports victims of violent crimes, their families, and like-minded nonprofits. Alright, let's get into the details of this case. And of course, I want to start out by telling you more about Linnell. And right off the bat, I gotta say, Linnell is one of the most delicate, elegant, and beautiful names I've truly ever heard. It just really does something for me. And it really was a fit for her because she was a very beautiful person. Her full name is Linnell Crystal Barsock, and she was born on July 27th, 1980, in South Los Angeles, California, as the middle child of five. Her mom, Bobbie, says that she was more of a quiet kid, and her brother, Jerome, describes her as really having been the glue to their family. She's also described as very bubbly, always smiling, you know, positive energy, never failed to bring joy to the world. And it also sounds to me like Linnell was really the peacemaker in the home, which I think a lot of middle children kind of end up being that type of person in their family, playing that sort of role. And I swear, all families need someone like that, right? And she was also known to be incredibly driven, very motivated from a young age, and that was especially apparent in her academics. She was on the honor roll in both elementary and high school, and after graduating from Crenshaw High in 1998, her academic pursuits did not stop there. And what she ended up getting into really fits her personality, as I was sort of explaining, people describe her as also incredibly caring towards others and just was always looking out for other people. And so it came as no surprise that Linnell wanted to become a nurse, and she did. First, she became a vocational nurse, which is an entry-level health care position. However, Linnell wanted to take her education a step further and become a registered nurse, and so she went back to school to make that dream come true. And it was actually at that school where she ended up meeting the guy that she would eventually start dating and buy a house with, and his name is Louis. And the story of how they met is very Linnell-coded. So at this point, it was 2006, but a year prior, Louis had immigrated to the United States from Haiti, and he happened to attend the same school as Linnell, but he was there to improve his English. Well, anyway, she saw him sitting at a bus stop one day, and she recognized him from campus, and like the kind-hearted person she was, she offered him a ride. And people say that from that point forward, their relationship just blossomed really quickly. Now, the reason I say this is very Linnell of her is for two reasons. One, obviously, like I've said, she was always doing kind things for other people. She just had that type of heart. And two, she also seemed to really have a soft spot for people who came to the United States seeking better. Another example of that is one of her closest friends, Marcel, had also immigrated to the United States, and he came from Cameroon, Africa. And he says that she always went out of her way to make him feel welcome and comfortable. He says that she helped him integrate into society, she would loan him textbooks, and she even bought him three pairs of shoes. And so, as you can tell, Linnell was just a good, you know, salt-of-the-earth type of person who genuinely got a lot of joy out of helping others. Right. As I was saying, though, she picked up Louis at the bus stop, and that was really the beginning of their relationship. And things moved pretty quickly after that, and within a few years, they were living together. And then in 2009, they purchased a home in Palmdale, California, which is about 60 miles north of L.A. And from what I've seen, this was a really big and beautiful home. It had a handful of bedrooms and bathrooms. It was in a great neighborhood. And actually, Linnell's goal was to one day turn it into an adult care facility, which is also so Linnell-coated. Right? And I'm not sure if Louis had that same goal, but that was definitely something on her mind. But unfortunately, by 2010, the two of them were going through a pretty rough period in their relationship. The details are somewhat vague, and I'm sure there's a lot more to it than what's been put out there, of course. But from what I've gathered, Linnell really, you know, she was a really motivated person. And I think it bothered her that Louis didn't really seem to have a whole lot of drive, a whole lot of ambition when it came to his career and just wasn't matching her in that way. He was a maintenance worker for the city of Hawthorne. And according to her friend, Marcel, he said that the two of them would often argue over finances and Louis not managing his money very well. And he also said that Linnell told him that she and Louis were no longer intimate and she wasn't sure if she wanted to maintain their relationship. And I guess before these feelings came up and they were going through this rough patch, there was some discussion of marriage and a future together. But at this point in time, Linnell's heart just wasn't really in it anymore. But of course, with the way that they are intertwined at this point, it wasn't as simple as just breaking up. I mean, they obviously owned a house together, and that's not an asset that you can just easily split with someone. And so ultimately, after a couple months of the two of them growing apart and trying to figure that out, Linnell did start seeing other people. There was this one guy named Ike who she met on a website called Fling.com, and the two of them began secretly dating. He was a flight nurse up in Sacramento, which was quite far away. But apparently, he would go down and see her in Palmdale whenever he could and whenever Louis wasn't around. And so just imagine where detectives' minds are going right off the bat after hearing all of this from Linnell's best friend. I mean, here they have this woman who was violently murdered in her own home, and there's all these issues going on in her relationship. They have a partner who seems to have one hell of a relationship. They have a motive to want her dead. And then you look at the crime scene, and it's a similar story. On that night, June 10th, 2016, when detectives and first responders arrived at Linnell's home, this scene was incredibly upsetting. Very, very disturbing. They found her body in the garage, laying next to her car with a plastic bag over her head. And it wasn't obvious right away how she had been murdered, but the amount of blood told them that she had suffered some kind of injury to her. And putting the bag on her head is something that I have seen other killers do in the past, and there are a couple reasons why someone would do this. For one, it obviously could have been to try and stop the blood from spreading everywhere. But killers also do this because they can't stand to see the face of the person they hurt. It's just too much for them mentally. The guilt starts to kick in. And obviously, that would only happen if you are personally connected to that person. For the most part, that's when it would be used, right? Like, you have killed someone that you at one point killed. cared about or maybe still care about. And it's painful for you to look at them and know what you did. And they sort of feel like they're being watched by them, which, yeah, indicates a personal connection. And the scene also told them that someone had clearly tried to clean things up. Linnell's car was parked in the garage with the trunk wide open, and it was filled with blood stained bedding and additional plastic sheeting. And they were sort of half in, half out of the trunk. And Lorraine said that she had actually slipped on it when she came in and found her friend, which, as you can imagine, would have been very traumatizing for her. And then also in the trunk, they found a pillow with what appeared to be a bullet hole through it, which indicates that it was used as a silencer of sorts. And then her autopsy would later confirm that she was in fact shot in the back of her head and that her killer took her by surprise. Another thing they found in the car was a large rolled up earring. Which, when it was unrolled, revealed bloodstains and a bloody footprint. They also found black latex gloves, which they believe her killer wore to try and conceal their identity, of course, as well as a plastic pitcher, which thankfully had a single bloody fingerprint on it. And as they continued to make their way through the house, there were additional signs of a cleanup attempt. Their house was set up in a way where their laundry room was the first room you entered when you come through the garage, which is a very common setup, right? And when they went in, they found a plastic pitcher, which, thankfully, had a single bloody fingerprint on it. When in there, there were a handful of bloodied towels on the ground. There were also clean towels on top of the dryer that looked like they had been disturbed. And then in the kitchen, detectives found cleaning supplies out by the sink. And in the living room, they could easily spot the area where the rug I mentioned had been removed, as well as some blood spatter on the wall and a single shell casing on the couch. What they didn't find, though, were any signs at all of this being some kind of robbery gone wrong. And also, what's important to understand is Lanell and Lewis were still very much moving into this house. It didn't have a whole bunch of furniture, and it wasn't entirely decorated. But still, there was nothing to suggest that a stranger came in and did this. This was clearly done by someone close to her, someone who knew the house, and someone who made a very poor attempt to cover it up. And as you probably guessed, the person that detectives suspected was, of course, her boyfriend, Lewis. And Lorraine, who was, obviously, very shaken up, spent the entire night at the sheriff's office explaining to them, you know, everything that she knew. And the more details she gave, the more they became suspicious of Lewis. It's here, people! Merit Beauty's biggest sale of the year. Save up to 25% site-wide. You guys know how much I personally love Merit Beauty, and right now, my listeners are getting early access. On November 21st and 22nd, Merit is giving you the chance to shop before everyone else does with code TCKR at checkout. They hooked us up. Get a head start on Merit's biggest sale of the year and snag your favorite shades before they sell out, because Merit stuff does be selling out. Merit Beauty is my favorite when it comes to putting together a polished look that I can do in just five minutes. When my kids and I need to head out the door, we're going to the pumpkin patch, we're going to story time. I still want to be, you know, a little together. And their five-minute morning routine and set makes getting ready simple. 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So here's the full story of that day, okay? Earlier in the day, Lorraine said that she arrived at Linnell's house sometime after 9.30am to finish doing her hair. She had been there the day before too, but she didn't finish so she came back to get the rest of it done. However, shortly after being there, she said that Linnell and Lewis began to work arguing. And he had actually left that morning to drive down to LA to spend time with her boyfriend, also getting car parts to fix up his truck. But he ended up turning around and came home when he discovered that Linnell was still using the secret phone that Ike had given her. So here's some quick backstories. I'm sure you're a little confused there, right? Lewis was a very jealous person. He had been suspicious of Linnell for a few weeks and for a showing up at her work to see who she was going to lunch with and even calling her employer to see if she went to work like she said she was. And yes, his suspicions were right. Linnell was being unfaithful to him, but I also don't think that warrants his behavior either. And according to Linnell's mom, and of course, I don't have confirmation of this, but this is coming from her mother, but she said there was an incident somewhat recently where she had tried to break up with Lewis. And he got in his car and chased her off the road. And it's also important to note that in April of that year, there was a domestic disturbance call made to their home. However, it didn't result in any charges. And I believe that call came from Ike. And he was on the phone with Linnell when he overheard Lewis screaming at her and he became worried for her safety and called the police. All that to say, Lewis had left that morning for LA and he had taken the phone that Ike had once given her. The thing is, though, Linnell had promised him that they were no longer communicating, that it was over with him, and that the phone didn't have any minutes on it. So it didn't work. Well, I guess someone had put minutes on it and Lewis discovered that and drove back home to confront her. And according to Lorraine, that fight got pretty nasty. So much so that the two women left the house to go to a nearby beauty supply store and to buy something that they needed and to get some space from him. The problem, though, was that he followed them there and continued to confront her. Now, Linnell must have taken the phone back from him at the house, but she ended up just letting him have it again, hoping it would be enough for him to calm down. But it wasn't. By the time the three of them got back to the house, Lorraine said that the fight continued and it got so bad that she didn't want to talk to him again. And she didn't want to talk to him again. So she decided to leave the house around 1.25 p.m. and just walk to a nearby park, you know, just to give them some space. Then, when she returned several hours later, around 6.30 p.m., quite some time, that's when she found Linnell's body. And then after this, Lorraine said that she heard a noise coming from inside the house. And when she went in there, she spotted Louis at the top of the staircase. And obviously, anyone in that situation would feel really scared. So when he started coming down the stairs towards her, that's when she ran outside. And she said that in the chaos of it all, she couldn't find her phone. So she ended up just hopping in her car. And then, when she went in there, she saw Louis. And then, when she went in there, she saw and began chasing after her. But then he turned around once he realized that she was on her way to get help. And then I heard him walking upstairs. And he was like coming down the stairs and I looked in and I just ran out the door. Do you know the guy's name? Yeah, I know his name. And hearing this story and knowing what you know about the crime scene, the obvious suspect to detectives was clearly Louis. Lorraine had also shared with them all of the details about Linnell and Louis's deteriorating relationship, which she said Linnell had told her personally over all of the years of their long lasting friendship. And so therefore, Louis became suspect number one. They definitely considered Ike too, which makes sense, of course, but he actually had a rock solid alibi for that day. Turns out he was interviewing for a job up at UC Davis. So yeah, very quickly, Louis was their sole focus and it was not hard to find him. He was actually at Linnell's mom's house down in L.A., which apparently wasn't uncommon. And if any of you are familiar with Southern California geography, then you know that Los Angeles is closer to Hawthorne than Palmdale is. So on the days that he worked, Louis would often sleep at Bobby's house to avoid the longer commute. Makes total sense, right? So they went there without telling him exactly what happened, thinking he knows exactly what happened. And then they brought him into the station for questioning. Now, from the bits and pieces that I have been able to find out about him, that I have been able to listen to from his interrogation, he sounded very, very confused. They didn't want to reveal to him right away that she had been murdered. They wanted to, you know, wait and see what they could get out of him beforehand. But he swore that he didn't know why they were even interrogating him. He seemed totally lost. And he did admit to fighting with Linnell that day. And even that he followed the two women to the beauty supply store, but he was adamant that afterwards he drove the 90-mile-an-hour car to the beauty supply store. 90 minutes down to L.A. to go to auto supply stores and to also work on his truck with Lorraine's boyfriend. But detectives still were not buying his story, especially because when he was asked about he and Linnell's relationship, he said that everything was good between them. No issues. Everything's fine. What's your girlfriend's name? What happened to her? How do you know? You don't know? I need to know. How's Eddie? We'll fix him back up. Tell me about your. Your relationship, right? Yeah. Your relationship is good? Honestly, is she okay with her? Is she okay with you? She's okay with me. She's been telling me she's loving me all the time. But as we know, that was not the full truth at all. So they were giving him major side-eye. Plus, they also noticed that Louis had a scratch on his cheek. And when he was asked about this, he said that it came from Linnell, that she was upset because she thought he was Facebook messaging with another woman. You had a scratch on your face. Where did you get that? This one? Yeah, the one right across your cheek. Who scratched you? Oh, that was Linnell who asked me. And then they asked Louis about Ike. And his answer was very suspicious to them because he claimed to be unaware of any romantic relationship between Linnell and Ike. And he said he thought they were just friends. And right off the bat, detectives did not believe him, not only because of what Lorraine had told them, but also because of something that they found at the scene. Near the refrigerator, on the ground, they had discovered a Dear John letter, which read, Dear Louis, I'm leaving you for Ike. He makes more money, so you can do whatever you want to do with this house. I am moving out of the state with Ike, so that's why I gave you that phone. We're getting married, so just leave me alone. You can have everything in the house. I have been sleeping with him for four months now, and he's the one that pays my car notes, so good luck in life. P.S. I'm taking one of the TVs, and it's signed, Goodbye, Linnell. So they tell him about the note. They show it to him, which is a pretty wild note, but when Louis hears about it, when he sees it, he says he has never seen it before. Why are they in it? They're not talking about the little letter who's telling you she's going bye-bye. I don't know about that. Who is this guy named Ike? Who is he? Okay. Ike? Ike. I can tell you, I can tell you, I can tell you, And detectives not believing him just continued after this, because they had actually already found out from Bobby that her son saw Louis earlier that night on the computer making a bank transaction and also looking up flights to Miami. So in their minds, they thought that he was attempting to run, you know, possibly go back to Haiti or something. And of course, because of that, there was no way in hell that they were going to release him. Now, before finishing their interrogation with him and booking him into county jail, they thought, finally decided to tell him what happened, that Linnell had been killed. And he immediately broke down, promising up and down that he didn't do it. He was absolutely shocked. He sounded like he was in a ton of pain. And he even begged them to find the person responsible. Someone shot her. Oh, my God. Who's that, guys? What she is right now? She's at the coroner's office, sir. She did not survive her wounds. What did you do? Really? Oh, my God. That's not what you understand. That's not me. That's not me. That's not me. Why did you do that to me? Oh, my God. And of course, we see this all the time. Okay, this is a very common reaction from someone who is trying to seem innocent, right? And once again, detectives were not buying it. So he got booked into the county jail. And meanwhile, they continued to forensically process the scene. And that, of course, included performing luminol testing all through the house. And it told a horrendous, horrific story. Like they suspected, the blood evidence showed that Linnell was shot in the back of the head while she was in the living room. From there, her killer dragged her body through the kitchen and laundry room and into the garage, where whoever killed her attempted but failed to load her into the car. And so at that point, they were really just waiting for the results of the testing to come back to tie Lewis to the attack. And in the meantime, while they're waiting for that, they got a search warrant for his truck and they followed up on his alibi as well. And this is when the entire case flipped upside down. When they were searching his car, detectives found receipts for auto parts stores in L.A., which were time-stamped right around the time they believed Linnell was shot and killed. And remember, it was a 90-minute drive from L.A. to their house. And that's 90 minutes without traffic. Okay, we all know the traffic in California is absolutely absurd. So who knows how long it actually could have taken him. And they suspected that she was killed right around 2.30 p.m., but those receipts proved that he couldn't have done it. Plus, surveillance footage from three separate stores showed him physically there in L.A., so it wasn't like he could have gotten the receipts from someone else. Also, when they dug into his phone records, they ruled out the possibility that he was working with an accomplice. Linnell called him just around 2.30 right before she died, and he had no other communications. Not to mention the fact that Lewis didn't even own a gun. But if you remember, Lorraine said that she saw him in the house and that he chased her in his car. And clearly, that couldn't have happened. So I'm sure you're starting to see where I'm going with this, right? Detectives immediately were like, oh shit, we have the wrong guy. He certainly couldn't have been in L.A. and in Palmdale, right? That doesn't make any sense. And he. He never came back that evening. They were able to prove that. He went right to Bobby's house. So obviously, they need to backtrack here. They need to fix a couple of things and first things first. They need to let him out of jail immediately. And I really, really enjoyed learning this. I found this quite interesting. But of course, they were afraid that Lewis was going to be pissed. I mean, they wrongly accused him of murder. But instead of being angry and even possibly suing them, which they really thought he might do, he instead hugged them and thanked them for letting him free. He explained to them that back in Haiti, if you get arrested, they just throw out the key and that is that. You are done. But the fact that they had taken time to uncover the truth here was something that he really appreciated. There have been so many subscriptions over the years that I have wasted money on. 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I don't need to feel like I need a spreadsheet just to understand what's going on. And honestly, eye exams were even worse. I feel like most people put them off way longer than you should because it just feels like this whole process. You have to find a doctor, book an appointment, figure out if they take your insurance, and somehow it always turns into more time and more money than you expected. And honestly, I've started looking at it a lot more often. I've been looking at it a lot more I've started looking at eye exams as part of my normal wellness routine now because of course your vision is part of your health too. And that's why I love Warby Parker. They didn't just make buying glasses or contacts or sunglasses easier. They made the entire experience easier. Now you can actually go into one of their stores, get an eye exam right there. No more running around to multiple stops. No guessing if your prescription is even up to date. And Warby Parker is covered by many major eye insurance plans. You just enter your information to see if you're eligible for benefits on frames, contacts, or eye exams. And if you are, they'll automatically send you an eye exam. And one of the best parts about Warby Parker, maybe the best part, is for every pair they sell, they also give a pair to someone in need. And Warby Parker has distributed over 20 million pairs of glasses to people in need through its Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. Right now, buy one pair of glasses and get 20% off any additional pairs at warbyparker.com slash TCKR. That's 20% off any additional pairs when you purchase one pair at warbyparker.com slash TCKR. And then step two, of course, is retracing their steps, looking at it again and seeing what clues they may have missed along the way. And it turns out there were quite a few and all the roads led back to one person. And I'm sure you're probably able to guess who that is at this point. Ding, ding, ding. Lorraine. Oh, Lorraine, Lorraine, Lorraine. What a damn fool. Okay. And when she was first questioned, a lot of her emotion and her disjointed storytelling was excused by the fact that detectives thought that she was, of course, devastated and traumatized over just having found her best friend murdered, which is totally fair, right? And take, for example, her story about going to the park. If you remember, Lorraine said that she left their house for a few hours because Linnell and Lewis were fighting and that she went to that nearby park. The more they thought about it, though, who in their right mind was going to walk over a mile to a park in the June, California heat and then sit outside for five hours? So that was one thing. Okay. And then another weird thing is they remembered that there were two bullets that they found in her purse. Of course, Lorraine's bag was searched that first day that she came in. And at the time, they didn't think much of it. But now that seems strange, which I will say, I think that's a pretty damn big red flag right from the start. But hey, I'm not a detective, I guess. But yeah, their suspicions are really starting to grow here. And that's when they brought her in for questioning a second time and they asked her about it. She continued by saying that she had found it outside near the house and just happened to pick it up. But when they asked her about the second bullet, she had nothing to say. And of course, she also could not explain how she saw Lewis in the house if he clearly was never there. And there's proof for that. And then they just went ahead and straight up asked her, And she said she had no reason to do it. That she loved her friend. I can prove Lewis wasn't in the house when you said he was there. I got pictures of him. He wasn't anywhere near you. He wasn't anywhere near Palmdale. My point is that I don't know. Well, whatever. I don't know. I saw what I saw. Now looking back, is there anything that you want to tell us that's different? Whole day, then that makes 86 for everybody. That shit wasn't good. Did you kill your friend? I did not kill my friend. I had no reason to kill myself. I loved my friend. And if you thought the twists were done here, you would be wrong. Because Lorraine was anything but a friend to Lanelle. After that first night of questioning following the murder, she had run into Lanelle's mom, Bobby, in the hallway of the sheriff's office, and they exchanged a few words. Well, detectives soon found out that Bobby had no idea who the fuck she was. She had gone up to her mom, told her that, Oh, yeah, me. and Lanelle were friends since high school, and she even gave her mom a hug. But turns out her mom had genuinely never seen this woman in her life. The detective, an opus person, walked out of the hallway. And the first thing I asked her, I said, how do you know Lanelle? And she said, um, oh, we went to Crenshaw together. I said, Crenshaw? I said, I don't know you. And she hugged me. And she said, you have my condolences. I told the detective, I said, I don't know her. And there's even more of a twist here, because not only did Bobby not know her that well, but Lanelle also didn't know her that well either. That's right. These two women were not best friends for the last 10 years. Anything but that, in fact. Because four months after her murder, detectives discovered via phone records that they had only known each other for a few months. It turns out that they actually had met on Craigslist after Lorraine posted a women-seeking-women ad, which Lanelle responded, They had been briefly intimate with one another, but only five days before her murder, Lanelle texted her saying she wanted to focus on her relationship with Louis and wanted them to just be friends. Lanelle's message said, I'm getting quite serious with my boyfriend and I don't want anything sexual with you anymore. I enjoy your friendship and will like to keep it that way. Lorraine even seemed to agree and responded with, I understand. I just seeking friendship as well. I think you're a cool person to hang out with. So that was the end of the story. Right there is your motive, people. Investigators believed, and this is what I believe happened too, that when Lanelle ended things, it completely set Lorraine off and led her to do the unthinkable. By this point, they had learned that she was in a ton of debt, she was still living with her mom, and it seemed like she had become obsessed with Lanelle and obsessed with the idea of becoming her. In fact, she had been dating other women and would tell these other women that her name was Crystal, which, as I said earlier, is Lanelle. She also would tell these other women that she drove a BMW, which was Lanelle's car. And if you're not convinced enough already, forensic testing confirmed that it was her bloody fingerprint on that picture found in the garage and her DNA on those latex gloves. Plus, her footprint matched to the bloody footprint found on the area rug, and a handwriting expert later determined that she wrote the Dear John letter. Also, despite the murder weapon never having been found, a 9mm Smith & Wesson, was registered to her name, and the bullets in her purse were, of course, a match to the type of shell casing found at the scene. And interestingly, and also concerningly, when they originally looked it up to see if any weapons were registered to her name, nothing came up. But within a short amount of time, that same database did show the gun purchase, and I guess because she had bought it just a few months earlier, it took the system some time to catch up, with her, again, that has me concerned. And her first plan was to put her body in the car and then dump her somewhere in the desert. And when that didn't work, her backup plan was to try and frame Louis. Now, thankfully, that plan didn't work. But before you get too excited, her arrest didn't come easily. Lorraine knew by this point that Louis was out of jail and that meant the clock was ticking for her. And so she ended up fleeing the country before they could grab her. And unfortunately, it took them a year before they could find her, and she was in Belize. And they only managed to do so after an episode featuring Linnell's case was aired on America's Most Wanted. Finally, though, in January of 2012, she was apprehended, and she was brought back to the States where she ultimately pleaded not guilty to the charges. And she even tried to call her Belize trip a vacation. I went on vacation. But I'm happy to tell you some good news, okay? The jury found her the term guilty as fuck, but definitely guilty. And she was sentenced to two 25 years to life prison terms. And no surprise here. She did try to appeal her sentence, but that was unsuccessful. And I imagine that and I hope that she will be in prison for the rest of her miserable life. This case genuinely blew my mind. It's really one of the most insane and twisted ones that I have personally ever heard. And like I said at the start of the episode, I don't want the absurdity and craziness of this case. All of the details of it. To overshadow the person at the heart of this, which is Linnell. She was very clearly a wonderful person. Someone who was really dedicated to helping others in her life. And she had already made such a big impact on so many people. Marcel, for example, called her his guardian angel in America. And since her passing, he actually named his daughter after her, which I thought was really beautiful. And then Louis, who was also one of Lorraine's victims in all of this, went on. And luckily got married. And he has a child. And he said he never could have done all of that without the truth coming to light. And I'm so glad that it did. And that at the end of the day, Linnell received the justice that she deserves. But it certainly doesn't take away from the massive amount of pain and trauma that her family has had to experience. All of her loved ones. I mean, so many people cared deeply for Linnell. And, you know, it's really just horrible thinking about all of the people that she would have loved. And all of the people that she would have gone on to help in her life. And how she'll never get to do that. And those people will never experience Linnell. But I do just hope that with the justice having been served and the truth having come out, that it does at least bring an ounce of healing to their family and ease their pain just a little bit. Now, I definitely want to hear from you guys on this one. Definitely want to hear your thoughts. So let me know in the comments or on social media. You can follow me on Instagram. Instagram at official TCKR, I think. I hope I have that right. I should probably check. Anyway, my Instagram, TikTok, all of those things will be listed below. But I would love to hear from you guys. So if you're listening to this episode, then I think that's a great way to connect with me. Thank you so much for joining me today. As always, I appreciate you guys being here so much. I will be back next week to discuss another case. But until then, stay safe out there. I'll see you next week.

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is highlighted for its bold style, intuitive technology, and standard hybrid power, emphasizing efficiency and practicality.
  2. Kewpie Mayo is introduced as a premium Japanese mayonnaise made with egg yolks, prized by chefs and food lovers for its rich umami flavor.
  3. Linnell Barsock, a kind and driven woman, was murdered in her garage in Palmdale in 2016, with a disturbed crime scene indicating foul play.
  4. Initial suspicion fell on her boyfriend Louis due to relationship tensions, but forensic evidence—including a "Dear John" letter, bloodstains, and alibi receipts—exposed inconsistencies in his story.
  5. The true killer was revealed to be Lorraine Austin, a woman who had a brief, sexual relationship with Linnell, fabricated a deep friendship, and was driven by jealousy and obsession.
  6. Lorraine tried to frame Louis, planned to dispose of the body, and fled to Belize before being captured after a media broadcast.
  7. Forensic evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, and matching bullets, confirmed Lorraine’s involvement, leading to a guilty verdict and a 25-year-to-life sentence.
  8. The case underscores how manipulation, deception, and emotional toxicity can lead to tragic outcomes, while honoring Linnell’s legacy as a compassionate and caring individual.

Summary:

The podcast features a mix of product promotions and a gripping true crime story. It begins with a commercial highlighting the 2026 Toyota RAV4, promoting its stylish design, smart technology, and hybrid efficiency. This is followed by a segment on Kewpie Mayo, a Japanese mayonnaise made with egg yolks known for its rich flavor and popularity among chefs.

The core of the episode is a deeply disturbing real-life murder case: Linnell Barsock, a kind and dedicated woman, is found dead in her garage in 2016, with signs of a violent, personal crime. Initial suspicion falls on her boyfriend, Louis, due to relationship conflicts, but forensic evidence—such as a damning "Dear John" letter, DNA traces, and financial records—exposes a deeper truth. The real killer is revealed to be Lorraine Austin, who had a brief, sexual relationship with Linnell and was consumed by jealousy and obsession.

She attempted to frame Louis, planned to dispose of the body, and fled to Belize, where she was eventually apprehended after a media feature. Despite her efforts to deny guilt, evidence including fingerprints, bloodstains, and a matching gun proves her involvement. She was convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life.

The case serves as a powerful reminder of emotional manipulation, deception, and the devastating consequences of unchecked jealousy. The narrative honors Linnell’s positive impact on her community and the lives she touched, while highlighting the trauma endured by her family and friends. The episode concludes with a personal reflection on justice, healing, and the importance of true connections in the face of betrayal.

FAQs

Kewpie is made with egg yolks only, giving it a rich, umami flavor that chefs and food lovers often use to elevate dishes.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is known for its bold style, intuitive technology, and standard hybrid power, offering efficiency without needing to plug in.

Linnell Barsock was a kind, driven, and compassionate woman born in 1980 in South Los Angeles. She became a nurse and was known for her caring nature and dedication to helping others.

Linnell Barsock was murdered in her garage in Palmdale, California, with a bullet wound to the back of her head. Her body was found with a plastic bag over her head and bloodstained items scattered around the scene.

Her boyfriend, Louis, was initially suspected because of the deteriorating relationship, signs of a cleanup effort, and the discovery of a 'Dear John' letter indicating he was being replaced by another man.

Lorraine discovered Linnell’s body and reported the crime, providing key details about their relationship and the events leading up to the murder, which helped investigators build their case.

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