Fayette County Man Confesses to Wife’s Murder, Arrested in Louisiana

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has made significant progress in a homicide case following a domestic dispute that took place in the early hours of Tuesday, August 20, 2024.

Reports indicate that a couple had a heated argument during the early morning hours of August 20. On the morning of August 21, the suspect, Kenneth Hardin Junior, confessed to family members that he had killed his wife, Carrie Hardin, in self-defense, burned her body, and was planning to leave town.

Kenneth Hardin’s father reported the incident to the Fayette County Dispatch Center around 11 AM on August 21. Deputies and investigators responded to 145 Merlin Court, Fayetteville, GA, and found evidence supporting the father’s account.

Detectives tracked Hardin’s car to Covington, LA, and, in collaboration with the Louisiana State Patrol and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO), located the vehicle at a motel. The STPSO’s SWAT team apprehended Hardin in his motel room. He has been booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center as a fugitive and is awaiting extradition to Georgia.

Back in Georgia, detectives found a shallow grave in a wooded area behind the residence, where they discovered the partially burned remains of Carrie Hardin buried under yard debris. Fayette County Detectives are continuing their investigation and questioning Kenneth Hardin Junior in Louisiana.

Sheriff Babb expressed gratitude to the agencies and individuals involved in the case, including the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Patrol, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Cadaver Dog Handler Tracy Sargeant. Their joint efforts were crucial in locating the suspect and advancing the investigation.

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to pursuing justice and thoroughly investigating this tragic crime.