A DeSoto County man who shot a Southaven resident and later escaped from the county courthouse has been sentenced to 55 years in prison.

On Wednesday, Joshua Zimmerman was convicted of attempted murder and escape, receiving 50 years without parole for the shooting and an additional five years for the escape, to be served concurrently. Zimmerman still faces pending federal sentencing in October, as well as additional charges in Texas and Connecticut.

The sentencing marks the end of a case that drew national attention after Zimmerman’s courthouse escape in June 2024. While awaiting trial, Zimmerman fled from the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando, sparking a nationwide manhunt. He was eventually captured following a 15-hour standoff inside a Chicago seafood restaurant near the Democratic

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