A woman from
Kentucky has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting to her role in the brutal killing of two men.
On Friday, August 1, 2025, Sara McQuilling, 44, entered an Alford plea to several charges, including complicity to murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence.
The charges are linked to the deaths of Douglas Brooks, 39, and Jerry Cardin, 64, which happened in September 2021.
Both men were found dead inside their homes in deeply disturbing conditions.
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| Sara McQuilling |
During the welfare check, officers found the 64-year-old dead inside the crawl space of his home with a gunshot wound.
According to crime scene investigators, he had likely been killed three to four days earlier.
A few days after the grim discovery, on September 27, 2021, police caught McQuilling driving Cardin’s stolen truck, which contained overwhelming evidence.
This included surveillance footage that allegedly showed her taking items from his home after he was dead.
That same day, her second victim, Douglas Brooks, was found dead in his home on Woodbourne Avenue.
He had been stabbed and his head was cut off, and to this day, his head is still missing.
According to court documents, McQuilling admitted to shooting Jerry Cardin and hiding his body.
She also reportedly stabbed Douglas Brooks—either on her own or with someone else’s help—before decapitating him and hiding his remains.
Despite the gruesome nature of the crimes, a motive has never been revealed. Also, how McQuilling knew the suspects remains unknown, but some unconfirmed reports suggest that they may have been her on and off boyfriends.
Prosecutors also stated that no other suspects are expected to be charged.
McQuilling is a married mother of six with a troubled history.
In June 2021, she was
reported missing for a week before she was later found safe.
Despite these past incidents, her husband stood by her after her arrest.
However, her longtime landlord expressed shock, telling reporters:
"It shows you never truly know about an individual, no matter how much you like them, no matter what they seem like. You got to be careful, man, anymore."
McQuilling’s plea deal ensures she’ll serve 20 years, with parole eligibility after 85% of her sentence.
"The case was mediated. She pled guilty in exchange for a sentence of 20 years... The victims' families were present, and everyone was satisfied with the disposition."
While the legal chapter has closed, the mystery lingers—why were these men killed? And where is Douglas Brooks’ head? For now, those questions remain unanswered.
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