Dacedric Deshun Ward

A Limestone County judge this week ordered a mental evaluation for a man facing murder charges related to a 2016 shooting at Sonic in Madison-annexed Limestone County.

Circuit Judge Chad Wise issued the order because 23-year-old Dacedric Deshun Ward pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in May.

Ward and Trevor Davis Cantrell, 19, both of Madison, were formally charged in January with capital murder and first-degree robbery. The men are accused of shooting Jason Ender West, 18, of Madison on Dec. 26 at the Sonic restaurant on County Line Road.

Cantrell had applied for youthful offender status because he was 18 at the time of the shooting but was denied. Had the court granted the request, Cantrell would have qualified for a lesser sentence if convicted of the crime.

According to court records, West had gone to Sonic to buy Xanax from Ward and Cantrell. The two men intended to rob West, but Ward pulled a gun and shot West, who died a short time later at Huntsville Hospital.

West graduated from James Clemens High School mid-year and was heading to college, his parents have said.

A Dec. 11 trial date has been tentatively set for Ward. He could choose to enter a guilty plea on Dec. 1 in exchange for a lesser sentence.

— Reporter Jean Cole contributed to this report.