Philadelphia man sentenced to life in prison for brutal stabbing death of former Wendy's co-worker

BENSALEM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia man was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for the brutal murder of a former Wendy's co-worker in Bucks County.

Officials say 31-year-old Dominique Isaac Harris was convicted of first-degree murder and possession of an instrument of crime.

READ | Officials announce arrest after man repeatedly stabbed, run over multiple times in Bensalem, Pa.

The incident took place on March 30, 2022, when 54-year-old Michael Pickens was leaving the Wendy's in Bensalem after his shift.

Harris had been fired from Wendy's two months before the incident due to an altercation he had with Pickens.

Once Pickens was outside the restaurant, Harris chased him to the parking lot of a nearby beverage store and stabbed him multiple times.

Harris initially fled the scene after the stabbing, but returned eight minutes later to run the victim over twice with his car, officials say.

After running him over a second time, Harris placed the victim's body in his car and disposed of him a few miles away from the scene.

Police were able to capture and arrest Harris only a day after the crime.

An autopsy later revealed that Pickens had been stabbed 46 times, with more than half of the wounds on his neck and head.

During Harris' trial, jurors watched surveillance video of the brutal attack.

The judge presiding over Harris' case concluded that to allow him out of state prison would risk another murder in the community.

Judge Raymond Hughes sentenced Harris to life in prison without parole.

"What you did was ruthless, it was unnecessary, and it was criminal," he said.