COVINGTON, La. — A man wanted for murder in Georgia was arrested Wednesday evening at a motel near Covington.
Kenneth Hardin Jr., 39, was wanted in connection with a homicide in Fayette County, Georgia, stemming from a domestic dispute on August 20, 2024. Investigatiors say they tracked Hardin to a motel off Highway 21, where St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies and SWAT team members arrested him without incident.
The arrest followed Hardin's reported confession to family members that he had killed his wife in self-defense, burned her body, and intended to flee. His father notified authorities, leading investigators to discover evidence and the partially burned remains of Carrie Hardin in a shallow grave behind the couple’s Fayetteville home.
Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb praised the cooperation between local and Louisiana law enforcement agencies in swiftly apprehending Hardin and providing some closure to the victim's family.
Sheriff Randy Smith also responded saying, "St. Tammany Parish is not the place to try and hide after committing a dangerous crime."
Hardin is currently being held at the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center, awaiting extradition to Georgia.
The investigation is ongoing.