Escaped Mississippi inmate in custody after hourslong standoff at Chicago restaurant
A man wanted on murder and armed robbery charges was taken into custody Wednesday morning after an over 15-hour standoff with police at a Chicago restaurant, authorities said.
Joshua Zimmerman, 30, had escaped from the DeSoto County courthouse in northwest Mississippi, where he was scheduled for a hearing on June 14, according to the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office. At the time, Zimmerman was being held on charges of attempted murder and armed robbery, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
Zimmerman was also awaiting extradition back to Houston for a murder charge, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. After more than two months on the run, the U.S. Marshals Service located Zimmerman at a west Chicago restaurant.
Justin Smith, chief deputy with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, said at a news conference Tuesday that Zimmerman was barricaded inside the restaurant and was surrounded by the Chicago SWAT team. He was taken into custody by Chicago police at about 7:20 a.m. Wednesday.
Zimmerman had no hostages and was taken into custody without incident, authorities said.
DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas E. Tuggle thanked the community for its support during the search for Zimmerman and praised the departments that assisted in his arrest.
"Our team is already on the ground in Chicago, fully prepared to commence the next phase of our investigation," Tuggle said in a statement Wednesday. "I cannot emphasize the importance of the strong law enforcement partnerships and networking alliances we have cultivated with agencies nationwide, which played a crucial role in Zimmerman's apprehension."
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Authorities believe Joshua Zimmerman worked at Chicago restaurant
Zimmerman was an inmate at the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center when he escaped from the county's courthouse on June 14. He was scheduled for a hearing over an attempted murder charge, among other charges.
Authorities said Zimmerman simply walked out of the building and with the help of a "good Samaritan," received a ride to Memphis, where he disappeared for a time, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The U.S. Marshals Service described Zimmerman as "armed and dangerous."
The U.S. Marshals Service, along with the DeSoto County District Attorney's Office, offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information that would lead to Zimmerman’s arrest.
On Tuesday, investigators with the U.S. Marshals Service located Zimmerman at a seafood restaurant in west Chicago. Authorities believe Zimmerman had been working at the restaurant.
During the arrest attempt, Zimmerman "retreated into the ceiling and barricaded himself," according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Chicago police said Zimmerman is scheduled to be in court Thursday after he was charged with two counts of fleeing from law enforcement to avoid arrest or prosecution, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Court records show multiple felonies
Prior to Zimmerman's escape in June, he was arrested and charged by the Southaven Police Department with multiple felonies. DeSoto County court records show Zimmerman was arrested for armed robbery and attempted murder, among other charges, on Sept. 29, 2023, in Southaven, Mississippi.
According to the DeSoto County District Attorney's Office, Zimmerman is also wanted for homicide in Texas and absconding in Connecticut.
The Houston Police Department charged Zimmerman with murder last October, KRIV reported. Police accused Zimmerman of fatally shooting shooting 23-year-old Keyanna Mercer on Sept. 2, 2023, inside a Houston motel room.
An investigation revealed that Mercer and Zimmerman, using the name Vincent Guerino Juliano, had rented the room, according to KTRK-TV. Witnesses told police they heard screaming from the room before hearing a gunshot.
Zimmerman was later seen leaving alone, KRIV and KTRK-TV reported. Authorities said Zimmerman was supposed to be extradited to Harris County, Texas, after he was arrested in Mississippi for separate felony charges.
Contributing: Jacob Wilt, Memphis Commercial Appeal