An Osage County man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after an incident deemed by Arkansas authorities as a domestic violence murder.
Police in West Memphis, Arkansas, say 26-year-old Aston Wardlow of Carbondale was sentenced last week to four life sentences — plus 830 years — for convictions on one count of first-degree murder, 17 counts of terroristic acts and 18 counts of firearm enhancements after the June 2024 shooting death of 32-year-old Ivori Harris.
Authorities say Harris and Wardlow were in a six-year relationship involving incidents of “domestic violence, stalking and threats of harm,” backed up by evidence from text messages and witness statements. — and the investigation into the night of Harris’s murder, which saw Wardlow circling the neighborhood where Harris’ vehicle was parked before parking nearby, sending several apparently threatening text messages and then shooting 17 times into Harris’ vehicle, killing Harris and sending the vehicle into a nearby occupied residence, almost causing a second death in the process.
Wardlow then fled to Carbondale, where Osage County deputies arrested him and eventually extradited him to Arkansas for court proceedings. West Memphis Police have thanked deputies and the Osage County Attorney’s Office for their help with the case.
Residents facing domestic violence and abuse in Lyon and most surrounding counties can reach out to SOS Crisis Services at 800-825-1295 or use the 24-7 chat feature available online at soskansas.com.
