ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — A local man was found dead early Saturday morning at his home in the Wilcox area of Baldwin County and officials say he was shot to death by a man he let stay at his home.

The son of Dennis Ray Wilcox, 55, returned home just after 1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, to find his father, the apparent victim of a single gunshot wound to the head, said Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack in a phone interview Monday morning.

“He had been dead for some time,” Mack said. After talking with the son and other witnesses, it was established that Aaron Thomas Cart, 26, had stayed with Wilcox on several occasions and had been seen with Wilcox earlier in the evening. A weapon believed to be involved in the shooting was found at the scene, Mack said.

Cart was found a short time later, sleeping in a car at someone else’s residence on Patterson Road, Mack said. Cart was arrested and charged with murder. As of Monday morning, Cart was being held at the Baldwin County Corrections Facility awaiting a bond hearing which was to be held Monday afternoon.

Cart has no permanent residence, Mack said, but had lived with his mother in the Wilcox area as a teenager and had spent time in New Mexico before returning to the area about six to nine months ago.

“He has been staying with friends at various residences in the area,” Mack said.

His address was listed as Patterson Road, Robertsdale when he was arrested on Dec. 6 on harassment charges. He was released on a $500 bond. On his current charges, his address is listed as Depot Lane, Robertsdale.