Sara McQuilling, a 44-year-old woman from Kentucky, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the deaths of two men in September 2021. McQuilling pleaded guilty to a series of charges, including complicity to murder, complicity to manslaughter in the second degree, theft, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with physical evidence. The victims, Douglas Brooks, 39, and Jerry Cardin, 64, were found dead under unusual circumstances in their respective homes.
The two men were discovered in the crawl spaces of their homes, but Brooks’ case was particularly gruesome as he had been decapitated, and his head has yet to be found. McQuilling entered her plea under the Alford standard, which allows defendants to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the state’s evidence could convince a judge or jury of their guilt.
Despite the plea, McQuilling’s defense attorney continued to assert her innocence during the plea and sentencing hearing. Further details about the crime were revealed in court documents. Both bodies were discovered within the same week in September 2021.
On September 23, 2021, following a welfare check request, Louisville Police found Cardin shot to death in his home’s crawl space. He is believed to have been killed three days earlier. Four days later, McQuilling was found driving Cardin’s truck, which contained evidence that contributed to her conviction. This included surveillance footage allegedly showing McQuilling removing items from Cardin’s home and placing them in the stolen vehicle.
During her arrest, McQuilling reportedly confessed to shooting Cardin and hiding his body. Police also found a revolver, believed to be the murder weapon, in a purse along with McQuilling’s identification cards. On the same day, Brooks’ decapitated body was found in his home. According to the plea agreement, McQuilling stabbed Brooks and decapitated him, either alone or with an accomplice, between September 17-24.
Prosecutors have stated that no other individuals are expected to be charged in connection with the murders, and no motive has been suggested by law enforcement. McQuilling, a married mother of six, has received support from her husband following her arrest. Her landlord, however, expressed shock and dismay at the violent turn of events.
McQuilling will be eligible for parole after serving 85% of her sentence. The case was mediated, and the victims’ families were reportedly satisfied with the outcome. Prior to these events, McQuilling had a history of legal troubles, including going missing for a week in June 2021 and being accused of stealing a police cruiser in December 2016.