Coffee sheriff asks public’s help

It has been nearly three weeks since an Enterprise schoolteacher was found dead in her home on Coffee County Road 647 and law officers are asking the public’s assistance.

Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Ronnie Whitworth Dec. 14 aid that the murder of Sara Starr is being investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies. “There have been no arrests made at this time but we continue to diligently investigate all leads and gather information,” Whitworth said. “We ask anyone who may have information concerning this case to please contact the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office in New Brockton at (334) 894-5535.”

Preliminary indications are that Starr’s death occurred sometime after 6:30 a.m. Nov. 27, Twelfth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tom Anderson said at a news conference held Nov. 28 at the Coffee County Sheriff Department in New Brockton.

Anderson, Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton and Whitworth held the news conference to provide a law enforcement update on the events surrounding Starr’s death, which the law officers called a murder.

Sutton said that his department had first been contacted at approximately 8:30 a.m. Nov. 27 when Starr had been found dead in her home. Sutton said that investigators from the district attorney’s office were contacted. Also assisting in the investigation were officers from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Enterprise and Dothan Police Departments, he said.

“We’re not at liberty to say a lot but one of the key factors that turned this into a homicide investigation instead of a possible suicide is that the death was an apparent gunshot wound to the head and no firearm was recovered from the scene,” Anderson said. “So you tell me what occurred.”

At the Nov. 28 news conference Anderson confirmed that a “person of interest” is being investigated. “There are also open avenues still under consideration for any other separate or additional potential suspects,” he said.

“Search warrants have been obtained and currently being executed,” Anderson added. “I just can’t go into greater details because it could compromise the nature of the investigation and the efforts of the sheriff’s office.”

Starr, 36, was a fourth grade teacher at Harrand Creek Elementary School and the mother of four children. She is originally from Kansas and had lived in the area for more than 10 years, Anderson said.

Sutton said the children’s father, who lives in Coffee County, has been in contact with authorities.

Four of Starr’s children attend two Enterprise City Schools and both schools had been placed on soft lock down for several hours Nov. 27. Sutton said that was part of standard operating procedure when a child is involved. “It was just for safety’s sake,” he said.