Ala. man convicted of fatally stabbing former co-worker and friend, dumping remains by car wash

RAINSVILLE, Ala. (TCD) -- A 46-year-old man will spend 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing his former co-worker and friend in 2021 after the victim picked him up to go to the store.

Summer Summerford, District Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, announced June 5 that Jason Cardwell entered a guilty plea of murder for the death of Ricky Wilks. A judge subsequently handed down the sentence.

According to the district attorney’s office, Cardwell and Wilks formerly worked together, but they continued their friendship following their employment. Wilks would often pick Cardwell up because the defendant didn’t have a driver’s license.

On Aug. 6, 2021, Wilks went to pick up Cardwell to drive him to a store, but the victim never returned home, and his family alerted law enforcement. Summerford said investigators found Wilks’ remains near a car wash hours later.

Officials determined Cardwell fatally stabbed Wilks and then carried his body out of a vehicle and into the weeds near a car wash and the defendant’s residence. He reportedly returned home covered in blood, but Summerford said investigators were unable to pull an usable DNA from his clothes at the time.

Summerford said, "Please continue to keep the victim’s family in your prayers. They lost a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend."

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