Lonoke man gets 45 years for girlfriend's murder

A Lonoke man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the July 2013 death of his girlfriend.

Dennis Harrington, 42, appeared Monday in Lonoke County Circuit Court and entered a guilty plea to Judge Sandy Huckabee, according to a statement from the Lonoke County sheriff's office. Huckabee sentenced Harrington to 45 years in prison.

Harrington was initially charged in September with the kidnapping and domestic battery of his girlfriend, Rebecca Lauer, 35, who was reported missing by her family on July 28. On Sept. 24, burned human bones were found on Harrington's property at 3505 Clayhill Road, according to a probable-cause affidavit.

Upon further investigation, Harrington was charged Jan. 17 with capital murder and abuse of a corpse, authorities said.

The affidavit states that investigators believe Harrington killed Lauer after the couple got into a fight in late July and then asked a friend, Steven Boulanger, to help him burn Lauer’s body, Arkansas Online previously reported.

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Lonoke County sheriff's office

Dennis Harrington, 42, of Lonoke.

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