Sara McQuilling is a killer from Kentucky who would plead guilty to the murders of two men
According to court documents Sara McQuilling would fatally shoot Jerry Cardin and then would stuff the body into a crawlspace in her home
However after police would arrest Sara McQuilling for the murder of Jerry Cardin she would then be charged with the murder of Douglas Brooks who was fatally stabbed and then decapitated. Again McQuilling would stuff his body into the crawlspace
Eventually Sara McQuilling would plead guilty to two counts of complicity to murder, tampering with physical evidence, two counts of abuse of a corpse, and theft. The killer would be sentenced to twenty years in prison
Sara McQuilling Case
A woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to the 2021 murders of two men in Louisville, one of whom she decapitated.
44-year-old Sara McQuilling was arrested in September 2021 for the murder of Jerry Cardin, who was shot and stuffed in a crawl space under the floor in his home.
She was later also charged with murdering Douglas Brooks by stabbing him. According to court documents, McQuilling then decapitated Brooks before also stuffing his body in a crawl space in his home.
On Friday, August 1, 2025, McQuilling pleaded guilty to two counts of complicity to murder, tampering with physical evidence, two counts of abuse of a corpse, and theft.
“The case was mediated,” said court administrator McKay Chauvin. “She pled guilty in exchange for a sentence of 20 years. She waived a separate sentencing hearing and should be on her way to the penitentiary to begin service of that sentence. My understanding from the mediator is that the victims’ families were present, and everyone was satisfied with the disposition.”
Sara McQuilling News
A woman has been arrested after admitting to shooting a man and placing his body in a crawl space in West Buechel on Thursday morning.
Sara McQuilling, 40, was charged with murder, abuse of a corpse, and theft by unlawful taking according to an arrest report from Louisville Metro Police.
West Buechel police responded to the 3700 block of Roosevelt Avenue, near Preston Highway, on a welfare check around 10 a.m. on Thursday.
When they arrived, the body of a victim was found in a crawl space under the floor. The victim had been shot and killed, officers confirmed.
Police also noticed the victim’s vehicle was missing from the property.
On Friday, police said McQuilling was located inside of the victim’s vehicle, and later admitted to officers in a statement she had shot the victim and placed his body in the crawl space.
McQuilling told officers she left the residence and came back to take the victim’s truck, according to the arrest report.
Police located a revolver inside of a black purse with the suspect’s health insurance cards.
The victim has not yet been identified by police.
McQuilling was booked in Metro Corrections. Her next court appearance is Sept. 27.
Sara McQuilling Now
| Name: | MCQUILLING, SARA Active Inmate | | |
| PID # / DOC #: | 495965 / 341357 | ||
| Institution Start Date: | 8/01/2025 | ||
| Expected Time To Serve (TTS): | 7/31/2045 | ||
| Classification: | Unassigned | ||
| Minimum Expiration of Sentence Date (Good Time Release Date): ? | 7/31/2045 | ||
| Parole Eligibility Date: | 8/01/2042 | ||
| Maximum Expiration of Sentence Date: | 7/31/2045 | ||
| Location: | Louisville Metro Department of Corrections | ||
| Age: | 44 | ||
| Race: | White | ||
| Gender: | F |
