Trial of a man accused of fatally shooting his employer and benefactor concluded yesterday with a conviction on Murder charges. Judge Frank Addy handed down a 40-year sentence yesterday for 46-year-old Phillip Hollingsworth from the November, 2012 murder of Bill Ardis of Waterloo.
The conviction came following the trail this week in Laurens County General Sessions Criminal Court. According to GWDtoday.com, the jury was about three hours into deliberations when it reported to Judge Frank Addy that they were hung. Addy encouraged the jury to continue deliberations. About 45 minutes later, they returned with a guilty verdict.
Phillip Hollingsworth was convicted of killing Bill Ardis in the home Ardis allowed Hollingsworth and his girlfriend to live in, shooting him with a shotgun. Charges on his girlfriend are still pending.
According to Eighth Circuit Solicitor David Stumbo, a sentence on a murder charge must be served day-for-day, meaning Hollingsworth cannot be released from prison until April of 2054.
More details on this story are online at GWDtoday.com.