Reward for escaped DeSoto County inmate raised to $20K
DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton speaks a a press conference April 10. (Courtesy DeSoto County District Attorney’s office)
Information leading to the arrest of an inmate who escaped custody in Hernando last month now stands at $20,000.
Nearly 20 days after Joshua Zimmerman walked out of a North Mississippi courthouse and hitched a ride to Memphis, the DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday, July 2, an increase in its portion of the reward money by $10,000 to match that of the U.S. Marshals Service.
“When it comes to this case, we’re not taking our foot off the pedal,” DeSoto District Attorney Matthew Barton said following the announcement.
Zimmerman, 31, was in court Friday, June 14, for a hearing related to multiple felony charges in DeSoto County, including attempted murder, armed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm.
🚨 ESCAPED INMATE UPDATE 🚨
— DeSoto County District Attorney's Office (@DesotoCountyDA) July 3, 2024
The reward for Joshua Zimmerman has been increased to $20,000, with $10,000 from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and another $10,000 from the DeSoto County District Attorney's Office for information that leads to the identity and capture of Joshua… pic.twitter.com/5mXbbvBF3L
Images later released show Zimmerman walking out of a door of the courthouse unaccompanied. DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas Tuggle II later said he exploited a “soft spot” in the building’s design.
For weeks, a task force that includes the U.S. Marshals has been on the hunt for Zimmerman, who has ties and warrants in multiple states, including Connecticut and Texas.
“The U.S. Marshals, who are experts at tracking down fugitives, have our full support until he’s caught,” Barton said Tuesday. “That’s why we are deploying every resource at our disposal to help them hunt down, apprehend and bring this violent criminal back to DeSoto County to face the consequences of his actions.”
The fallout from Zimmerman’s escape most notably includes allegations from the DA’s office someone either in the Sheriff’s Office or acting on behalf of it deleted footage of the incident, seemingly part of a coverup, and Barton announced last month he was calling on a special grand jury to investigate claims of evidence tampering.
In addition to charges in Connecticut, Zimmerman faces a murder charge in Houston for the 2023 shooting death of Keyanna Shantall Mercer.
Zimmerman is listed at 5-foot-11, weighing about 210 pounds. He has likely shaved his beard since his escape, and he is considered armed and very dangerous.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-336-0102.
Topics
North Mississippi DeSoto County Matthew Barton Joshua Zimmerman DeSoto County Sheriff's Department Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
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Rob Moore
Rob Moore covers North Mississippi for The Daily Memphian. He holds a B.A. and an M.A. in English from The University of Memphis.
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