Chase Cook and Alexander Nicholas, both 23, have been charged with murder in the death of 24-year-old John Richardson, whose body was found in a shallow grave in a Fort Worth wooded area. The case unfolded after witness statements, a drunken confession, and cellphone data linked the suspects to the scene. Nicholas was arrested on Christmas Day, while Cook was booked more recently.
John Richardson, 24, was last seen alive on November 30, 2025, when he left a party with Alexander James Nicholas, 23, according to an arrest affidavit. Richardson was supposed to be dropped off at his girlfriend's house but never arrived. Nicholas allegedly told detectives they argued during the drive, after which he left Richardson near Alliance Boulevard and a Buc-ee's truck stop in northern Fort Worth. A witness reported Nicholas displaying a silver and black handgun before leaving the party and later saying, 'John wouldn't be coming around anymore.' When asked if he killed Richardson, Nicholas reportedly made his fingers into the shape of a gun, shook his head yes, and suggested going into the woods with phones off to discuss it. Another witness noted Nicholas's anger over a car accident he blamed on Richardson. Nicholas then met Chase Cook, 23. Cook's girlfriend told police that Cook received a text from Nicholas late that night, left to 'go help Alex,' and returned the next day. While drinking days later, Cook confessed to her that he and Nicholas had dug a six-foot hole in the woods. During his interview, Cook teared up but did not admit knowledge of the body's location, claiming he was drunk. Detectives found Richardson's body on December 22, 2025, in a wooded area of Fort Worth in Denton County. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death resulted from stabbing wounds and blunt force trauma to the head. Cellphone location data placed Richardson, Nicholas, and Cook near the site. Nicholas was arrested on Christmas Day and is held on $300,000 bond. Cook was arrested Tuesday and held on $250,000 bond, per Tarrant County records.