Gag order placed on District Attorney in Zimmerman case
Escaped murderer remains at large over a month after his escape in Hernando
Photo: Joshua James Zimmerman (Courtesy photo)
SATURDAY, JULY 20 UPDATE: Accused murderer Joshua Zimmerman remains free and his whereabouts unknown while law enforcement continues searching for the man who escaped from the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando in mid-June before a court hearing.
Now it appears the public is being kept from learning more about the case’s progress as District Attorney Matthew Barton announced this week that a gag order has been placed on him.
Zimmerman, who was being sought in Texas and Connecticut, as well as Mississippi, was being held in DeSoto County after his capture last October, but he escaped from the courthouse on June 14 and has not been seen since.
He was caught in Southaven on charges of robbery and attempted murder. In Houston, Texas, Zimmerman was being sought in a murder case that occurred last September.
Saturday, Barton provided a statement saying he could no longer comment on the case.
“I understand the intense public interest surrounding the Zimmerman case, and I empathize with the community’s desire for updates,” Barton said. “However, I am now bound by a judge’s gag order that restricts me from commenting or providing any information on this critical public safety matter. Rest assured, though, my team and I are diligently working with the U.S. Marshals, and within the legal parameters of the gag order, to ensure justice is served. I also promise that my office will be transparent about this case once the gag is lifted.”
The reward money for Zimmerman’s capture remains, now at about $20,000 for information leading to his return.
What is also still not publicly settled is the status of the alleged video of his escape that Barton’s office said it had, but then disappeared and apparently deleted.
Meanwhile, the escaped murderer remains at large, and for now, no one is talking.
Following are our previous updates on the case.
TUESDAY, JULY 2 UPDATE: As Joshua Zimmerman remains at large following his escape from the DeSoto County Courthouse on June 14, DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton has announced his office has increased its reward for Zimmerman’s capture.
“When it comes to this case, we’re not taking our foot off the pedal,” said Barton. “The U.S. marshals, who are experts at tracking down fugitives, have our full support until he’s caught. 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. Today, we’re increasing our portion of the reward for Joshua Zimmerman to match their $10,000, bringing the total to $20,000.”
The amount from Barton’s office now matches the amount the Marshals Service had offered for Zimmerman’s return.
SUNDAY, JUNE 30 UPDATE: The search for escaped murderer Joshua Zimmerman has made a new turn with additional reward money being offered for his capture from a known bounty hunter.
Duane Lee Chapman, known as Dog the Bounty Hunter from television, posted on his Instagram page that he has added reward money for Zimmerman’s capture, saying the reward amount is now $20,000 for Zimmerman.
As of Sunday, Zimmerman, sought by the U.S. Marshals Service and DeSoto County authorities, remains at large after he left the DeSoto County Courthouse on June 14 ahead of a scheduled hearing.
THURSDAY, JUNE 27 UPDATE: The U.S. Marshals Service Thursday announced it has raised the reward amount for Joshua Zimmerman up to $15,000: including $5,000 from the DeSoto County District Attorney’s office and now $10,000 from the Marshals Service.
The reward increase was announced on the Marshals Service X site:
Zimmerman remains at large after his escape from the DeSoto County Courthouse before a scheduled hearing appearance on Friday, June 14.
MONDAY, JUNE 17 UPDATE: The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office has added $5,000 to the reward money, making the total reward amount to $10,000 for information that leads to the identity and capture of Joshua Zimmerman.
A release from the District Attorney’s Office Monday said Zimmerman is sought for murder in Houston, Texas, escape in DeSoto County, and absconding in a case from Connecticut.
When he escaped, Zimmerman was being held on attempted murder and armed robbery in Southaven, He was in the process of being extradited back to Harris County, Texas on a murder charges. More details are found below.
WMC-TV in Memphis Saturday reported that the U.S. Marshals Service had offered a reward of up $5,000 for information that leads to the capture of Joshua James Zimmerman, who escaped from the DeSoto County Courthouse on Friday morning, June 14. Click here for more on the report.
Zimmerman was originally captured in Southaven on murder charges allegedly killing a woman in September 2023. We reported on the capture in DeSoto County News in October 2023.
FRIDAY EVENING UPDATE: At 6:25 p.m. on Friday, June 14, DeSoto County Sheriff’s officials said they had reason to believe that Joshua James Zimmerman had left the immediate area. The public was warned that if Zimmerman was spotted to not make contact with him but call authorities immediately. Officials said the search for Zimmerman was an ongoing investigation .
Zimmerman, an inmate at the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center, escaped Friday morning from the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando where he was scheduled for a hearing. Zimmerman had previously been arrested and charged by the Southaven Police Department with multiple felonies, including attempted murder.
