A Jemison man was sentenced to 86 months in the Alabama Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to one count of manslaughter in connection with the fatal stabbing of another Jemison man.

Tommy Joe Ashworth Jr., 34, of Jemison, appeared in court May 16 sporting a large, bushy goatee and wearing orange jail clothes and chains around his wrists and ankles in front of Chilton County Circuit Judge John Bush.

Ashworth remained silent as Bush read his sentence.

Ashworth stabbed Jeremy Richard Brasher, 34, of Jemison, who later died at Shelby Baptist Medical Center.

Officers from JPD and Jemison Rescue responded Sept. 29, 2013, to the 1000 block of County Road 152 on a report of a male subject who had been stabbed.

Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer said at the time of the incident that when officers arrived on scene they found Brasher lying in the yard of the residence suffering from at least two stab wounds, one to the chest and another in the abdomen.

Prior to arriving on the scene and within a few minutes of receiving the call, Jemison police officers were given a description of the suspect and were able to locate him on foot not far from the crime scene.

The suspect was identified as Ashworth, and authorities took him into custody at the scene.

An investigation of the incident revealed that Brasher and Ashworth engaged in a verbal altercation that turned physical and involved both individuals being armed with a knife, Fulmer said at the time.

“Ashworth stabbed Brasher that ultimately caused the fatal injuries,” Fulmer said.

Brasher was living at the residence off County Road 152 with Ashworth and a female, and a neighbor was one of the witnesses.

An arrest warrant was obtained Sept. 30, 2013, for Ashworth, who was charged with manslaughter.

He was indicted by a grand jury in February on one count of manslaughter and remained in the Chilton County Jail on a $150,000 bond.