Janice R. Andrews
Joshua Zimmerman, a Mississippi prisoner who fled two months ago and was found barricaded in a Chicago seafood restaurant where he had supposedly found work, has been caught. The U.S. Marshals Service said on Wednesday that he had been caught, ending a search that had taken place in several states.
That same day, Zimmerman, 30, got away from the DeSoto County Jail in Mississippi, where he was being held on charges of armed robbery and attempted murder. He was now on the run. The search has mostly been done in DeSoto County, which is about 25 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. His ability to stay away from police for more than two months shows how hard it was for them to find him.
The Fugitive’s Link to Chicago
More information is needed to figure out how Zimmerman got to Chicago. Chief Deputy for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office Justin Smith said that no one knows how or why Zimmerman got to Chicago or if he had any close ties to the area. But new information made U.S. Marshals think that Zimmerman had started working at a seafood diner in the 2300 block of Madison Street.
The Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force tried to catch Zimmerman after identifying him at the restaurant. Zimmerman hid in the restaurant ceiling and barricaded himself while he was being arrested, which led to a dangerous situation. It was even more important that the diner was only a few blocks away from the Democratic National Convention site. But police said there was no link or danger to the conference or the people who were there.
Information about Zimmerman’s arrest has not been made public, such as whether he was armed or whether anyone was hurt. Additionally, the police have not said how long Zimmerman had been working at the restaurant or how he was able to get a job by using a fake name.
A criminal record in more than one state
Zimmerman has a long crime record and is currently facing charges in several states. He was caught robbing someone and trying to kill them on September 29, 2023, in Southaven, Mississippi. Early that month, Zimmerman was charged with felony murder in Harris County, Texas, for reportedly killing a woman at a Houston hotel by shooting her. Zimmerman was charged with the Texas event, but he was never jailed.
Above these charges, Zimmerman is also wanted in Connecticut for not showing up to a court date in December 2022 for a serious sexual attack charge. He has been known to go by different names and fake IDs, which makes it harder to track him down. Zimmerman stayed at the Houston hotel under the name Vincent Guerino Juliano, according to a warrant for his arrest in Harris County. He has also gone by the name Jamie Quintana.
What Will Happen Next for Zimmerman?
After being caught, Zimmerman is being held in Chicago right now. The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi says they want to send him back to his home state to face charges. Given the number of countries involved in his crimes, it is still unclear how the legal process will progress. At this point, it’s not clear if Zimmerman has hired a lawyer.
Joshua Zimmerman was arrested, which is a big step in the end of a multi-state manhunt. However, he will likely remain in the legal news for a while because of his future court cases.
